The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has described Tuesday recall of the suspended Executive Secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NIHS), Prof. Usman Yusuf, as a mockery of justice.
The party said this is so because it came at a time when he was still being quizzed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission over alleged N919 million fraud.
The party also mocked the All Progressives Congress (APC)-controlled Federal Government for the alleged cover up of the cabinet minister reported to have bought a property worth N280 million in Abuja from alleged corrupt enrichment.
PDP made the condemnation in a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, on Wednesday.
“The Presidency stinks of corruption and has lost all claim of fighting graft, as long as it continues to protect indicted officials of the APC administration,” PDP said.
The party said it was disgusting that the same Presidency brandishing a medal of ‘African Union Anti-Corruption Champion’ would pull out an indicted government official, while he was still guest at the EFCC where he was being grilled for his alleged malfeasance.
The statement further reads: “This is a government official probed and thoroughly indicted for abuse of office and fraud to the tune of N919 million by a committee set up by the Minister of Health, comprising of senior officials of the Health ministry, Department of State Services, and the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) and which report was submitted to the President last September.
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The report detailed Yusuf as a public servant who “portrayed a holier than thou attitude but at the background, milked the agency dry” by ganging up with other fraudulent elements to fleece the NHIS to the tune of over N919 million through fraudulent procurements, while name-dropping on the President.
“Instead of allowing for the conclusion of investigation and eventual prosecution by EFCC, the Presidency halted the process and rewarded the indicted official with a recall from suspension, even without any recourse to the supervising minister simply because Prof. Yusuf is not only of the APC but also known to be very close to the President.”
PDP said the only way the Presidency could redeem itself from the current scandal was to immediately return Prof. Yusuf to the EFCC and allow the law to take its course if it was actually fighting corruption in Nigeria.
It said that in the same vein, the Presidency should immediately name the minister indicted for corrupt enrichment and bring him out for investigation and prosecution in line with the law.
PDP called on Nigerians and the international community to continue to note the insincerity and deception of the APC government especially as the nation approaches the 2019 general elections.
