The Spokesperson of the All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council, Festus Keyamo, on Friday knocked the National Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party, Iyorchia Ayu, whom he said had ‘shamelessly’ dodged the corruption allegation levelled against him by Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike.
Keyamo’s scathing comment was a response to earlier statement made by Spokesperson of the PDP Presidential Campaign Council, Dino Melaye, that the ruling APC is not ready for election.
Wike had on September 23 regaled Nigerians with tale of corruption within the PDP when he challenged Ayu to explain the origin of the crisis in the party.
He had stated, “Ayu is corrupt. Quote me. I am a lawyer and I am the governor of Rivers State. Ayu collected N1 billion in Lagos. He told one of the PDP presidential aspirants before the primary that the governors were not ready to fund the party.
“I know how the money was arranged and those involved in packaging the money. He collected the N1 billion. Let him come out to tell Nigerians it is not true and I will reveal more”.
A livid Keyamo, however, stated in a statement issued on Friday that it is on record that to date, the PDP national chairman has shamelessly evaded addressing the allegation.
While describing the opposition party as a leopard that cannot change its spot, he scolded Melaye for having the temerity to challenge the ruling party.
The statement read, “Our attention has been drawn to a statement by the PDP Campaign Council alleging that the APC is not ready to govern Nigeria.
“This most outlandish statement, coming from the PDP at a time it has become the theatre of the most absurd in this country, is most ironic and unfortunate.
“Firstly, in the past few weeks, the PDP has entertained Nigerians with scandalous issues that show the party remains a clear and present danger or threat to Nigeria’s treasury and equity. In the last few days, the public space has been inundated with allegations made by no less a person than a prominent Governor of the PDP accusing its National Chairman of being patently corrupt and of collecting a bribe of N1 billion from one of its candidates.
“The governor even threatened to ‘reveal more’ if there was a denial. The Party Chairman, Ayu, is yet to deny or debunk this allegation for fear of being stripped totally bare in public. Is this the party that claims it is ready for governance and that Nigerians can trust? A party without any iota of shame?
“Instead of hiding his head in shame, the same Ayu went on a bribing spree, crediting the accounts of members of the NWC in a desperate and laughable attempt to hang on to office. Is this the party Nigerians can trust? Is this the party ready to govern Nigeria?”
The Minister of State, Labour and Employment stated that there was a time when the nation was under the spell of the infamous ‘Dasukigate’ where money allocated for national security was shared among party chieftains whilst Boko Haram ravaged the country.
According to him, Nigeria has yet to recover from that trauma and the PDP is showing us that their patented technology for sharing sleazy funds is alive.
He said, “Our party, the APC, has shown its commitment to be fair to all regions in the country. Whilst the PDP was breaching its own Constitution on power rotation and fairness, the APC governors rose above primordial sentiments and rejected a move to Zone the APC Presidential ticket to the North, insisting that power must shift to the South after President Muhammadu Buhari’s tenure. This is a party that believes in fairness and equity and all Nigerians can attest to that.
“Our Presidential candidate has a track record. He has held Executive office; he has pioneered transformational changes. As at today, the IGR in Lagos has grown by 7.400% from 1999 to 2021. This is one of the relevant issues that should animate public conversation at this moment; not the cacophony of sounds and fury from the PDP that signifies nothing.”
