The opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP has been tasked to provide answers to the nation for the failed $460 million Abuja Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) project that the then ruling party awarded in August 2010.
In a response to a critique of the controversial terms of its Chinese infrastructure loans made by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC lambasted the party and its presidential candidate in the 2019 polls as being unfit to speak on the subject. For Bukola Saraki, there is opposition to his return because some stakeholders believe he has no electoral value anymore. Said an insider, ” Buki lost woefully in Kwara. So I don’t know what value he would be bringing with his planned return. Gbemi is stronger now politically and she took charge the last time and with combined forces with Lai, Kwara was delivered. “
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In a statement yesterday in Abuja by its Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Yekini Nabena, the APC described Atiku’s comment as “un-researched, unintelligent and pedestrian”.
The ruling party recalled that Transportation Minister Rotimi Amaechi had explained that the guarantee/clause in the loan deals is the global standard, irrespective of the country granting the loans.
The statement said: “Perhaps, Atiku and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) could redirect their energies to explaining to Nigerians the status of the failed $460 million Abuja Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) awarded in August 2010 by the immediate-past PDP administration.
“Also, they should explain the over $2 billion China loan the PDP administration took between 2010 and 2013 alone; $16 billion spent on power with no electricity; fuel subsidy rackets; counter-insurgency funds that were diverted and shared to political cronies, among other shocking heists.
“Recall that the failed CCTV installation project was initiated by late President Umaru Yar’Adua and awarded in August 2010 by former President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration to help security agencies in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to check the growing insecurity.
“Since the agreement became signed, Nigeria has been servicing this loan to China while Nigerians are yet to attest to the visibility of CCTV project and unable to explain the status of the video surveillance project. The matter is subject to a legislative probe.
“In all of these, we are starkly reminded that the PDP remains a corrupted and damaged product. Nigerians must continue to reject the party at all levels of government.
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“In the area of fiscal discipline, prudence, curbing leakages, are we currently getting it right? An emphatic yes! Every kobo expended on infrastructure counts. Verifiable evidence abound in the fast expanding national railway projects, airport remodeling, among other critical infrastructure projects being undertaken by the President Muhammadu Buhari government.
“The days of phoney contracts, as institutionalised by successive PDP administrations, are fast fading.”
