PDP accuses Buhari of diverting public funds to campaign

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has accused President Muhammadu Buhari of secretly diverting monies from various social intervention funds to his re-election campaign.  

In a statement signed by Kola Ologbodiyan, PDP national publicity secretary, the party said the funds have been used for vote buying.

The opposition party accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) of giving the impression that it has the support of Nigerians.   

“Information at our disposal also reveals that the Anchor Borrowers scandal is yet another scheme by the Buhari Presidency to siphon public funds and surreptitiously route same to Mr. President’s campaign,” the statement read.

“To achieve this ignoble scheme, the Buhari Presidency and the APC shamefully constituted a phony Anchor Borrowers Farmers’ Association, which they claimed has 12 million members, and through which they plan to siphon and launder money from public coffers to fund President Buhari’s campaign.

“Our check reveals that no such association exists and that the membership figure is just a ruse, another fabrication and attempt at procurement of fake endorsement by the Buhari Presidency, to create an impression that Nigerians are supporting President Buhari and the APC.

“This is in addition how agents of the Presidency carrying out APC’s vote-buying project, particularly the Trader-moni scheme, have been illegally collecting 10 percent kickback from beneficiaries.

“Now that Nigerians have refused to contribute to the president’s re-election bid, due to his failure in office, the Buhari Presidency and the APC are seeking ways to legitimize their stealing of public funds to finance their campaign and service the wasteful lifestyles of their leaders.”

But in reaction, the APC, through Lanre Isa-Onilu, its national publicity secretary, APC said the financial contribution from the Anchor Borrowers Farmers’ Association was evidence of their support for Buhari.

“They want to show appreciation by donating to Mr. President’s campaign. It is the agricultural policy of this government that has empowered them to improve on their standard of living to the extent that they are now grateful to donate to the president’s campaign,”  he said.

“If they think this government has the capacity to coerce 12 million farmers, then they have not weaned themselves of the military era.

“Our president has shown that he is a true democrat, in all actions he has taken since he was sworn in on May 29, 2015 so he doesn’t coerce anybody.”