TheCable

Abdullahi Jalo, deputy national publicity secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), wants Olisa Metuh, the party’s spokesman, to quit office based on the allegations of fraud levelled against him.

Metuh has been named among the beneficiaries of the $2.1 billion meant for arms procurement but was diverted to the campaign of the PDP, an allegation he has denied.

But in a joint statement issued on Monday, Jalo alongside Okey Nnaedozie, PDP’s deputy national organising secretary; Dennis Alonge-Niyi, deputy national youth leader; and Bashir Maidugu, deputy national legal adviser; accused the PDP top officials currently undergoing trial of “dragging the name of the party in the mud”.

“We hereby strongly dissociate the Peoples Democratic Party from the ongoing trials of Dr. Bello Halliru Mohammed, and Chief Olisa Metuh on various charges anti graft agencies,” the statement read.

“They are said to have received funds using accounts of their private companies without the knowledge and instructions of any organ of the party.

“All those mentioned in the ongoing corruption trial are, therefore, on their own and the party was not involved financially or in anyway with the office of the national security adviser, ONSA, or any organ of the federal government in the last regime.

“They must bear full responsibility for their actions and must henceforth refrain from dragging the name of the party into the mud.”

The statement also asked the national executive council (NEC) of the party to commence the process of appointing a new spokesman.