The opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has declared that the attempts at concealing a N10billion fraud perpetrated by the officials of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) have shown that the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari stinks and has lost all honour.
The PDP made the declaration in a statement issued on Monday by its spokesperson, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan. The opposition party was referring to an exclusive report on the theft, which showed how the recently reinstated Executive Secretary of the NHIS, Professor Yusuf Usman, and other officials made unauthorized withdrawals from enrollees’ funds in two installments of N5 billion each from the Federal Government’s Treasury Single Account (TSA) in the Central Bank of Nigeria, which is under the direct purview of the Presidency.
According to the PDP, the country is being pushed daily to the precipice by the Presidency’s incompetence. It added that it is the height of hypocrisy for a government that is superintending over illegal withdrawals and theft stealing of funds to parade itself as fighting corruption.
The PDP stated further that the only logical explanation for the concealment is because the Presidency was complicit, while the stolen fund is being used to service members of the cabal around the President.
“Nigerians can now see the level of debauchery associated with this administration. It is appalling that a government can be so depraved that it superintended over the stealing of money meant to provide healthcare for the citizens. We challenge the Presidency to speak out on this report as well as similar reported sleazes that has occurred under its watch,” said the PDP.
It wondered who in the Presidency authorized the withdrawal of the money from the TSA and who the beneficiaries are. It equally wondered what the Presidency will say about the revelation that it ordered the reinstatement of the indicted Professor Usman to help conceal the illegal withdrawals and shield members of the cabal around the President, who were involved in the deal.
“Until and unless the Presidency clears its name by investigating, exposing and prosecuting those involved, it must directly be held responsible for this wicked act against Nigerians, who daily suffer hunger, depravation and death owing to the corruption in the All Progressives Congress (APC) government,” stated the PDP.
It called on Nigerians and the international community to note that the Presidency failed to act on the leaked memo showing the fraudulent award of $25 billion oil contracts at the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), an agency under President Buhari’s direct supervision as Minister of Petroleum.
It also added that the Presidency has refused to explain the alleged involvement of its officials in various shady oil subsidy deals as well as reported diversion of N1.1trillion worth of crude in 2017 to service the interests of the APC.
“Nigerians are aware that the Presidency has continued to shield fraudulent cabinet ministers, including those known for extorting funds from agencies under them, in addition to those indicted for corrupt enrichment. Indeed, this government stinks and has irredeemably lost all honour,” said the PDP.
