From Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja
The People’s Democratic Party (PDP), yesterday, said the recent statement credited to the National Security Adviser (NSA), General Babagana Monguno (rtd) on the $1billion arms fund was an indication that the money had allegedly been diverted.
The PDP, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, said it is “shameful” that President Muhammadu Buhari, is presiding over a security architecture, where funds meant for arms are allegedly unaccounted for.
The opposition party stated that President Buhari, as the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, must take the full responsibility of explaining the whereabouts of the $1billion as the buck stops only on his table.
The PDP said: “Nigerians could see how officials of the Buhari Presidency have been struggling to divert attention from this huge swindle by claiming that the money was spent for the purchase of 12 Super Tucano planes, which it also claimed would be delivered in 2020, only for the NSA to now declare that the entire fund cannot be traced.
“Four years down the line, nobody has seen the Super Tucano planes and no explanation has been given by the Buhari Presidency over the whereabouts of the money.
“Our party recalls how, instead of offering explanations when the issue was first raised in July 2019, the Buhari Presidency resorted to hauling insults at the PDP and other patriotic citizens, while making hollow, disjointed and uncoordinated claims, which the NSA’s assertion has now exposed to be lies and fabrications.
“It is indeed shameful that President Muhammadu Buhari is presiding over a security architecture where funds provided by his Presidency for purchase of arms has vanished into the thin air while our citizens and gallant troop in the frontline are left at the mercies of terrorists and insurgents.”
It added: “Our party asserts that stealing money meant for purchase of arms to protect the people is an unpardonable sacrilege.