President Muhammadu Buhari recently has accused some members from the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria-ACN of budget manipulation and padding, affirming that those to whom the budget racketeering might be traced shall never go scot free. This was coming after three years of the formation of the All Progressive Congress-APC.
All Progressive Congress was formed on February 6, 2013 in anticipation of the 2015 general elections comprised of Nigeria's three biggest opposition parties namely, the Action Congress of Nigeria-ACN, the Congress for Progressive Change-CPC, the All Nigeria Peoples Party-ANPP and a faction of the All Progressive Grand Alliance-APGA.
In similar development, some leaders of the defunct ACN were in the Aso Villa recently too where issues relating to their hands in the controversial 2016 budget and the incoming congress of the APC among others were discussed.
According to our source, the leadership of the defunct ACN chided President Buhari over their alleged involvement in budget manipulation and overloading, saying it was uncalled for and at the same time a calculated attempt to terminate the mutual relationship that has long time existed among the unified party, APC, adding that, "the diplomatic moves by the president's kinsmen to hijack the structure of the party in totality at the forthcoming congress shall not only be resisted but rejected".
"I want to believe we've not travelled too far as a party. Therefore, those inciting the president against factions in the progressives should entertain a rethink before their actions and inaction boomerang".
Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed had in Lagos on Friday, February 19, 2016 said, "Let me make it clear that nobody can ever accuse this government of padding any budget. The total of all ministries put together has not exceeded 6.08 trillion naira that was submitted. It is factually incorrect to say that the budget was padded."
In a counter claim which has started to generate controversy within the progressives circle, President Buhari in Saudi Arabia said, "My budget is not what is being debated at the National Assembly. What they have was heavily padded. Never heard of budget padding all my life. It is very embarrassing and disappointing. We will not allow those who did it to go unpunished."
Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu who led other party leaders to the Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo in the villa, has vowed to continue supporting the present federal government administration until he's either directly or indirectly prevented from doing so.
He said, "Ever since the formation of APC three years ago, there has never been a moment of regret for me or my men. Therefore, I want to believe the president was quoted out of context. He has no moral right to describe us as budget scammers."
"Again, since Lai Mohammed has been appointed the Minister of Information, it has been noted that the image of our party hasn't been well painted in the public as it used to be.
We need another able hand to relieve him, and we cannot afford zoning such a sensitive post among others to the academically retarded region in the country".
He pleaded with his men not to dwell on the accusation and assured them of transparent process in the election of the party's executives.
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