PDP uncovers N1.1bn imminent scam, warns Gov. Masari

BY ANDY ASEMOTA, Katsina

The gubernatorial candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Katsina State, Sen. Yakubu Lado, has cautioned the State Governor, Aminu Bello Masari, to halt the alleged planned diversion of N1.1bn from the government’s coffers ostensibly to fight insecurity bedeviling parts of the state.

Sen. Lado gave the warning on Thursday evening as the PDP rounded up its campaign tour of wards and local government areas across Daura Emirate in Daura, hometown of President Muhammad Buhari.

The former law maker vowed that his PDP government, if elected, would probe the scam and none of its perpetrators would go scout free.

The governorship standard bearer, who called on Gov. Masari to abort the said scam, given the respect he had been according the governor, assured that any civil servants that would be used to siphon the state government funds would be made to refund the money and face the consequences ,if PDP is given the mandate in the forthcoming general elections.

Sen. Ahmad Babba Kaita, senator representing Katsina North in the National Assembly and seeking another mandate, who blew the lid of the said racket during the PDP rally in Daura, revealed that reliable evidence showed that the government was about to withdraw the money on behalf of the eleven local governments and transfer N100m to each of the councils from the state security funds, alleging that each of the local councils will however be made to return N60m as kickback to the relevant government officials.

The legislator claimed that the state government planned to spend the stupendous amount on campaign activities in favour of the ruling party’s presidential and gubernatorial candidates for selfish interest and political purposes.

He further stated that evidence abound to substantiate the alleged plot, while calling on the electorate to votes for the candidates of PDP in this year’s poll.

All efforts to contact the Director General of the Katsina APC Presidential and Gubernatorial Campaign Council, Arc. Ahmad Dangiwa, and the spokesman of the governor, Isah Al-amin, for their comments, as at press time yesterday, proved fruitless.