PDP Demands Probe Of APC’s Alleged N22.5bn Cash Swap Deal

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has demanded an investigation into the alleged plot by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to swap N22.5 billion old notes for new ones for the purpose of buying votes in the forthcoming election.

The PDP said the probe is against the backdrop that the APC Presidential Campaign Council has not denied the allegation of N22.5 billion cash swap for vote buying in Kano and Lagos States.

In a statement in Abuja on Wednesday, the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, urged the National Assembly to commence an investigation into the N22.5 billion fraudulent cash swap allegation.

He said, “If indeed the APC leadership of both Chambers of the National Assembly are concerned about the biting cash scarcity, we challenge them to publicly condemn the reported plot by APC leaders and its Presidential Campaign, to clandestinely swap a whopping N22.5 billion in old N1000 notes for new ones in Kano and Lagos states for the purpose of vote buying.

“We also challenge the APC leadership of the National Assembly to commence an investigation into the N22.5 billion fraudulent cash swap report if truly it is concerned about the suffering and anguish Nigerians are facing in accessing the new Naira notes.

“It is instructive to note that the Tinubu Campaign has not denied the reported criminal N22.5 billion cash swap for vote buying. Instead, it has resorted to hauling insults and lame diversionary claims.

The PDP also alleged fresh moves by the APC Campaign Council to use certain compromised APC members in both the Senate and House of Representatives to create tension in the polity and derail the conduct of the elections.

It advised Tinubu to end his resort to underhand dealings, particularly the attempt to compromise the National Assembly.

He added, “There is credible intelligence of how the APC Presidential Candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu allegedly directed his cronies in the APC leadership of both Houses of the National Assembly to reconvene Plenary and use the Legislative Chambers as platforms to promote incendiary speeches with the view to overheating the polity and making it appear unconducive to conduct elections in the country.

“This is in furtherance of the alleged scheme by the APC Presidential Campaign to use all means including APC leadership of the National Assembly to orchestrate security situations that will justify its reported demands to postpone elections as a prelude to the derailment of the electoral process, having realized that it has no chance in the elections.

“Our party has been made aware of a deceptive design by the APC leadership in both Chambers of the National Assembly to reconvene Plenary under the guise of being concerned about the hardship faced by Nigerians due to the scarcity of new Naira notes induced and aggravated by the exposed sinister diversion of new Naira notes by the Tinubu Campaign.

“Further information indicates that the Tinubu Presidential Campaign, which is reportedly intercepting new Naira notes for vote buying purposes, has also directed the APC leadership in the National Assembly to use their Legislative instruments to pressure and compromise financial institutions to succumb to their cash diversion agenda.

“Nigerians can now note the real motive behind the recent statement credited to the APC leadership of the National Assembly where it attempted to justify its plan to reconvene the National Assembly at this time.”