'Be transparent with TSA operation' - Party tells Buhari

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has called on the All Progressives Congress (APC) led administration to show transparency on issues relating to remittances and operation of the Treasury Single Account (TSA).

PDP National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh, made the call at press conference on Tuesday in Abuja.

Metuh said that the PDP had watch with keen interest some disturbing developments in recent times, particularly, disagreement between the National Assembly and the Federal Executive on controversies surrounding the handling of TSA.

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He said that conflicting statements emanating from the Minister of Information and the CBN underscored the fear being raised by the Senate that there might be underhand deals in the handling of the TSA.

"Whereas the Senate has ordered its committee on finance and public accounts to investigate the remitting and handling of N2.5 trillion into the TSA, the federal executive has different view.

"The federal executive, through the minister of information, had earlier informed the nation that the sum of N1.4 trillion has been remitted.

"The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) put its figure at below a trillion and announced an estimated collectible amount of N1.2 trillion,’’ Metuh said.

The PDP spokesman said that the party was also aware that the firm handling the TSA remittances had been given the `leeway to rake millions of naira into unknown purses’ through training of personnel.

"For emphases, we want to state that this company has asked the APC administration to charge Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to bring five of their personnel for training to understudy how to use TSA.

"Each of the personnel are being charged N65, 000,’’ he said.

Metuh also decried the inconsistency in the denials of PDP revelation that the presidency and INEC had secret meetings on the governorship election in Kogi to ensure victory for the APC.

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"While INEC out rightly denied ever holding any such meeting with the Presidency, the President, through his media aide, Garba Shehu, acknowledged holding the secret meeting, but said it lasted only five minutes.

"We ask, who do Nigerians believe; the Presidency or INEC?’’

Metuh also alleged that the APC was now flooding Kogi state with money ostensibly to sway the people and purchase their mandate.

"This primitive attempt at vote-buying is not only an insult on the people of Kogi state but also setback to efforts towards credible elections in Nigeria,’’ he said.

He said that the PDP was compiling a list of APC governors and governorship candidates who were facing corruption charges, "not accusation as they are already in court.

"Never in the history of this country have we ever seen any political party fielding corrupt candidate as APC is doing,’’ he said.

He said that PDP would continue to show responsibility and caution in ensuring that only facts that had been verified by the party were put out to the public at all times.

"We will not indulge in falsehood as we continue in our opposition role of putting this administration on check in the general interest of the nation.’'