The All Progressives Congress (APC) has challenged the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to a public debate over an alleged misappropriation of N400 billion by the Katsina State Government in 31 months.
The state APC Chairman, Alhaji Bala Musawa, threw the challenge at a news conference in Katsina on Tuesday.
“The APC is 100 per cent ready to have a face to face debate with the PDP on the allegation of mismanaging N400 billion public funds.
“We are waiting for the PDP officials to fix the time for the debate, we are ready to tackle them either in the day or at night.
“We are calling on them to come up with documents to prove that the state government received N400 billion either from the Federal Government or any other source within 31 months,” he said.
Musawa said that the allegation was a ploy to stop the current mass defection of PDP members to the APC in the state.
“The allegation came because the state PDP Chairman, Alhaji Salisu Maigari, was disturbed that several of his top members have decamped to the ruling APC.
“The former Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Alhaji Yau Gwajo-Gwajo, and his followers as well as his deputy, Alhaji Bilya Rimi, have all left for the APC.
“A top PDP member, Sen. Ibrahim Ida, has also decamped to APC and a former Commissioner of Agriculture under Gov. Shehu Shema has also decamped to APC.
“Several PDP members have joined the APC and this is the reason for making the allegations because the chairman is left with no one to continue to grumble to over non-performance,” he said. (NAN)