By KEMI KASUMU
The pubmuc confession by Senator Adams Oshiomhole, whereby he stated the amount of money his party, the All Progressives Congress, spent to win some states during the 2019 elections, has attracted the attention of Kwara State Chapter of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which has therefore asked the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to investigate.
Speaking on Tuesday at the book launch of the former APC National Vice Chairman, North-West, Salihu Lukman, Oshiomhole, a former National Chairman of the APC, recalled how the party spent about N3.2 billion to win the 2019 governorship election in four states states.
Specifically, he said the party spent N800m in Kwara State to fund the ‘O to ge’ movement, which the APC used to oust Bukola Saraki-led Peoples Democratic Party’s reign in the state. The senator added that the same amount was spent in Imo, Ogun and Kwara states.
Oshiomhole stated, “We spent N800 in Kwara under ‘O to he’s to win election in Kwara State. We spent also the same amount in Imo, Ogun, and Taraba. No any other NWC (National Working Committee) had spent as much as we did in any election.”
Oshiomohle, as the national chairman of the APC, was at loggerheads with former Senate president, Dr Bukola Saraki, after the latter dumped the party for the PDP. APC’s victory and the ousting of Saraki was widely celebrated by Oshiomhole who described it as one of the biggest achievements of the party in 2019.
But the Kwara PDP in a statement by its state publicity secretary, Olusegun Olusola Adewara, on Thursday called on the EFCC to immediately investigate Oshiomhole.
The statement read, “As a party, we feel such a revelation is not only affirming our position that there were no elections in Kwara State in 2019 but a political coup targeted at Bukola Saraki, using the federal powers and all state apparatus.
“We are vindicated by Oshiomhole’s public admittance that the 2019 elections in Kwara were rigged to dislodge Saraki. However, we want to assert that Oshiomhole’s public confession of indulging in (alleged) vote-buying politics constitutes a serious breach of Nigerian law.
“It is disheartening that Mr Adams Oshiomhole, who currently holds a position as a Nigerian lawmaker, has unequivocally crossed the red line by attacking the political decorum expected of a responsible legislator.
“As a lawmaker, Oshiomhole is duty bound to uphold the values of democracy, champion the cause of justice and represent the interests of the people. Regrettably, a figure entrusted with the responsibility of making laws for the nation has openly celebrated the subversion of the democratic processes through the undue influence of money.”
