Presidency Responds To PDP’s Query On $1bn Boko Haram Fund
The presidency has reacted to an allegation levelled by the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP against President Muhammadu Buhari’s government.
Recall that the PDP, yesterday, accused the President Buhari led administration of squandering one billion dollars drawn from the Excess Crude Account, ECA.
The said money was meant to tackle Nigeria’s insecurity challenges. It was approved by the National Economic Council in December 2017 for the purchase of weapons to fight insurgency across the country.
The party’s claim had followed alleged statement by the national security adviser, General Babagana Mongunu (rtd) of his unawareness of the whereabouts or disbursement of the one billion dollars drawn for security purposes by Buhari’s presidency in 2017 from the ECA.
But the presidency in reaction, described the PDP allegation as “rubbish”.
A statement by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr Garba Shehu, said the PDP thought “all governments in the world run on the basis of free-wheeling looting as they did their (PDP’s government) own.
“It is on record that the Buhari administration paid about $490m for a dozen Super Tucano fighter aircraft in a direct, government-to-government (no contractors or commission agents) transaction with government of the United States.
“Other military procurement has been made. Balance of expenditure stands at about $880m.”
Continuing, Shehu said, “The PDP spent defence procurement funds on their failed 2015 political campaigns as proven in court. That is not to say every succeeding government, more so one led by a Buhari, will do the same.”