The Peoples Democratic Party has once again protested what it called the deliberate and malicious branding of its chieftains as corrupt by federal government agencies without proper trial and conviction.
The party said this in its reaction to the news of several billions of naira and millions of dollars allegedly traced to a former Minister of Petroleum, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke.
Diezani, who is a member of the PDP, played a key role in the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan and his failed second term bid.
During the week, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission said it had traced at least N47.2bn and $487.5m in cash and property to the former minister.
The spokesperson for the party’s National Caretaker Committee, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, however said at a press briefing in Abuja on Friday, that it was wrong for the anti-corruption agency to continue to try Diezani on the pages of newspapers while shielding the allegedly corrupt persons who had decamped to the ruling party.
Adeyeye contented that the government is in the practice of scandalizing members of the PDP and turning its eyes away from the corrupt practices of APC members.
“The only thing you need to do today is to defect to the APC and all your sins would be forgiven. All APC members are saints and others are sinners.
“How can the EFCC make allegations and convict us by itself? It is the one making allegations and it is the one convicting people.
“Until a court of competent jurisdiction pronounces the suspects guilty, they remain just suspects and innocent as well. So, we won’t talk about those issues.
“If there is a genuine case against her or any other person, please go to court and establish that they are corrupt. You can’t just claim that you have found someone with money you suspect was illegally acquired and pronounce such person guilty. You need to go to court and establish it,” he argued.
The PDP spokesman said Saturday’s special convention which will be attended by 3000 delegates would be an avenue to reunite its members after a prolonged leadership crisis in the party.
He said, “We wanted to make it a unity convention, hence we decided to bring so many people to serve in this committee. Those who were with the former National Chairman, Senator Alimodu Modu Sheriff, have been integrated into the convention committee. The policy of no ‘victor, no vanquished’ has been fully implemented by the caretaker committee.”
