The presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to investigate the finances of the Minister of State for Labour and Productivity Festus Keyamo (SAN).
Atiku also wants the National Assembly to publish the report of its investigation on the N52 billion Special Works Programme implemented by Keyamo in his capacity as minister.
The PDP candidate said this is sequel to the minister’s confession that he acquired a house in America worth $300,000.
Atiku in a statement issued by his Special Assistant on Public Communication, Mr Phrank Shaibu, recalled that the Federal Government had in 2021, employed 774,000 Nigerians, as part of measures to cushion the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on Nigerians.
He noted that the sum of N52 billion was approved for their allowance, stating however that “both the Senate and the House of Representatives stated that many of the beneficiaries of the funds did not get anything, while others who got did not do any job.
“Keyamo had specifically orchestrated the sacking of the Director-General of the National Directorate of Employment (NDE) Nasiru Argungu, insisting that he was in charge of the N52 billion project which the National Assembly noted was a flop.”
According to him, Keyamo had boasted that some of them do not need government funds or patronage to survive, adding, “Whatever we do and whoever we support is out of our deep convictions.
He further recalled that the minister had, in a letter dated March 6, 2019, before he was appointed a minister, “wrote to the relevant government agencies, informing them of the closure of his foreign accounts and the repatriation of his funds to the country since Nigerian law does not allow public officials to operate foreign bank accounts.”
Atiku, therefore, challenged Keyamo to publish his asset declaration form as submitted to the Code of Conduct Bureau in 2019, adding that since he boasted about being an EFCC prosecutor and an anti-corruption champion, he ought to be bold enough to make his asset declaration forms public to prove that he was telling the truth.
“Keyamo has one month left on his tenure as minister, which means he will need to declare his assets before the CCB next month. Let him make public his asset declaration forms, before and after office, to prove to Nigerians that he did not steal,” he said.
The PDP candidate regretted that Nigeria witnessed the highest level of unemployment, under Keyamo as a minister, with KPMG putting it at about 40 per cent.
“Under Keyamo, universities also witnessed prolonged strikes, as ASUU proceeded on a 10 months strike in 2020 and eight months of industrial action in 2021.
“Keyamo clearly failed as a minister but grew wealthier in the process through his so-called real estate business. He thus needs to be investigated with immediate effect.”
“With his open confession that he has acquired houses in the US, I hereby call on the National Assembly to publish its report on the failed project.
“I also call on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to immediately probe the finances of Festus Keyamo, who only became a senior advocate two years before becoming a minister.
“It is public record that Keyamo was an activist and a prosecutor for the EFCC, doing mostly pro bono cases before taking public office.
“However, he now boasts of being a real estate mogul after becoming a minister. This is laughable and an insult to the sensibilities of Nigerians.”
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