Probe Panel: Don’t be a judge in your case, PDP tells AbdulRazaq

The governor had on Monday this week set up an eight-people panel of inquiry to probe the federal allocations accruing to the 16 local government areas of the state.

The panel is also mandated to inquire into what entered into each LG as internally generated revenue (IGR) from May 29, 2019 till date.

But the major opposition party in the state described the probe panel as ‘kangaroo,’ noting that the government erred by trying to act as a judge in its own case instead of allowing anti-graft agencies charged with such responsibility to do their job.

PDP’s spokesperson in the state Tunde Ashaolu in a statement said: “PDP holds that Abdulrazaq’s constitution of this ‘Kangaroo probe panel’ is an attempt to hoodwink Kwarans and divert attention of the public away from the huge financial corruption being perpetrated by his kitchen cabinet members and use the stage-managed panel as a siege to cover up the government officials who are at the centre of this case.

“It is strange that the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led administration in the state is setting up investigation panel to investigate officials of government accused of corruption rather than allowing statutory anti-graft Agencies to carry out their responsibilities.

“Our party is concerned that such approach will cover the already exposed shame of the Abdulrazaq administration, as the panel will attempt to shield top officials of the government from prosecution, which will further embolden other government officials to pilfer the

state resources.

“PDP takes exception to the procedure under which committee members were solely appointed by the Governor as well as the calibre of people that make up the panel.

“Rather than forming a pretentious simulated Panel on this matter, the Governor, if truly he is ready to pursue this matter with all sincerity, ought to have suspended all concerned government officials and allow the EFCC and ICPC that have the mandate by law to investigate and prosecute corruption cases, do their job.

“Kwarans have regrettably come to realise that the Governor Abdulrazaq’s APC government thrives on corruption, deceit and propaganda.

“We appreciate the numerous non-governmental organizations (NGOs) who have taken the bold step by petitioning the EFCC on the above mentioned issue and other infractions of this government.

“We urge all kwarans to continue to document the various lies and falsehood of this government because for sure, the day of reckoning is fast approaching and we shall serve Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq and his lackeys what is due to them.”