The conduct of the Federal Government in disclaiming the Chinese team and declaring that it cannot account for their whereabouts after it had accorded them state reception, had further exposed the dishonesty, lack of transparency and inherent corruption that pervade the APC administration and for which Nigerians have completely lost confidence in it.
PDP spokesman, Kola Ologbondiyan The Peoples Democratic Party has accused the Federal Government of betrayal and cover – up in the activities of a 15 – man Chinese medical team that arrived in the country last month.
The party demanded an “immediate apology” from the government “for taking the citizens for granted” by declaring not to know the team’s whereabouts after it accorded the team a state reception.
The party in a statement issued on Tuesday by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, said the FG should account for all the donations and gifts it had received from local and international bodies since the start of the pandemic.
The statement reads: “The conduct of the Federal Government in disclaiming the Chinese team and declaring that it cannot account for their whereabouts after it had accorded them state reception, had further exposed the dishonesty, lack of transparency and inherent corruption that pervade the APC administration and for which Nigerians have completely lost confidence in it.
“The Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, disclaimed the Chinese team, denied involvement and knowledge of their whereabouts whereas clarifications by the Chinese Embassy and the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) indicate that the team had been in CCECC facility and had also collaborated with our health agencies.
“The declaration by the minister of health that government cannot account for the medical team it officially received, directly triggered public alarm and raised suspicion of clandestine designs against our nation, consequent upon which our party issued a 48-hour ultimatum to the Federal Government.
“The APC administration would have faced the anger of Nigerians for its lack of transparency, at the lapsing of the 48-hours ultimatum, but for the clarifications by the Chinese Embassy and CCECC.
“With this clarification by CCECC, the PDP demands that the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 should come clean on the reasons it claimed ignorance of the whereabouts of the Chinese team and apologize to Nigerians.
“This is because our party believes that the health minister’s conduct betrayed a plot by certain officials of the Federal Government to deceive Nigerians and ostensibly distract public attention from the acts of corruption being perpetrated in the fight against COVID-19 in our country.
“The PDP consequently demands that the Federal Government should immediately declare and account for, in details, all funds, equipment, therapeutics and sundry aids it has received from international and indigenous bodies and individuals, given the exposed proclivities of its officials for diversion of such aids.
“The PDP applauded Nigerians for supporting its 48-hour ultimatum to the Federal Government and assured that it would never relent in protecting their interest at all times, particularly against the cabal in the APC, who are bent at not only pillaging our national resources but also to cause confusion in the polity.
