TheCable

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) says Mansur Dan-Ali, minister of defence, is expending funds meant for the military on the campaign of President Muhammadu Buhari.

In a statement on Monday, Kola Ologbodiyan, PDP spokesman, said funds meant for military equipment and welfare of soldiers are channeled to the production of “partisan materials for All Progressives Congress (APC) re-election campaign.”

Ologbondiyan said by allegedly using these funds for such purpose, the ruling party had turned the defence ministry to its automated teller machine (ATM).

“Placing of APC logo alongside that of the ministry of defence on the momento confirms our position that the Buhari Presidency has compromised our defence architecture for Mr. President’s re-election project,” he said.

“Our party considers it insensitive and a gross impunity for the minister of defence to be engaging in patronising soverniers for President Buhari at a time when our soldiers are being killed in their numbers.

“It is also instructive to note that President Muhammadu Buhari, as Mr. Integrity, has not reprimanded the minister, ostensibly, given that the diversion of public funds for his re-election campaign is now a policy of the APC and the Buhari presidency.

“Nigerians can now see how the Buhari Presidency and the APC have turned the Ministry of Defence into their Automatic Teller Machine (ATM) to fund their re-election, at the detriment of our citizens who are being daily attacked by insurgents and marauders in various parts of our country.”

Ologbondiyan called for an investigation into the military’s funds in a bid to “unravel those benefitting from the racket”.

Efforts made to reach Tukur Gusau, spokesman of the defence minister, were not successful as his telephone line was out of reach.