The People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Ekiti State Chapter, has accused the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state of writing a letter to the APC led Federal Government to stop a possible refund of money it owes the state on projects.
The Publicity Secretary of PDP in the state, Mr Jackson Adebayo, who made the allegation in a statement made available to newsmen in Ado Ekiti, on Sunday, claimed that “the APC leadership decided to write President Muhammadu Buhari in order to cover-up their earlier allegations that the state governor, Mr Ayo Fayose, had collected a sum of N22billion as a refund for the federal road projects executed by the state which has been declared to be untrue by the president.”
According to Adebayo, “one of the members of the state executive committee of the APC in Ekiti confirmed that the letter was written after they learnt the amount the Federal Government is owning the state is far below the N22billion they have been brandishing,” and also claimed that the letter he said was addressed to President Buhari “was an appeal to protect the interest of the party in the state so that it will not lose face with the people.”
But the APC, in reaction, described the PDP’s statement as “a mere face-saving antics that won’t take the PDP government anywhere.”
The publicity secretary of the APC in the state, Chief Taiwo Olatunbosun, who reacted to the allegation, said the APC had earlier alleged that a sum of N22 billion had been paid by the Federal Government to Governor Fayose, saying it would be foolish on PDP’s part to now allege that the party had written to President Buhari with the intention to block the payment.
The APC spokesman added “Our own allegation was not based on mere rumour. They were facts. I have it on my Youtube where the former Minister of State for Works, Prince Adedayo Adeyeye, praised former President Goodluck Jonathan that he had paid a sum of N22 billion to Ekiti being money spent on federal roads during the presidential rally.
“So, the PDP should stop cooking up lies to cover up their tracks. We had earlier alleged based on available facts at our disposal that the money had been paid and we cannot turn around to block the payment of a money we are certain had been paid,” he said.
Adebayo had alleged in the statement that the APC leadership had “already contacted some National Assembly members elected on the platform of the party to disregard any provision that may be made for the federal projects in Ekiti State so as to forestall any chance by which the refund could be included in the next budget of the federation.”
“To make sure their plans work, some leaders of APC in Ekiti and their colleagues outside the state have been contacting senators and House of Representatives members elected on the platform of the party to block any input on federal projects as it may affect Ekiti State in the next budget that would be sent to the National Assembly by President Muhammadu Buhari in other to perfect their intentions,” Adebayo alleged.
Adebayo said “this is not the first time APC in Ekiti State will be displaying its hatred for the people of the state in the name of politics.”