PDP blasts presidency for reinstating indicted NHIS boss

macfranc007 February 08, 2018 Nigeria News today & Breaking news ▷ Read Nigerian newspapers 24/7 Aanu Adegun

- Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has blasted the presidency over the restatement of indicted NHIS boss

- The PDP accused the All Progressives Congress (APC)-controlled Federal Government of covering up corruption

- It said the presidency stinks of corruption and has lost all claim of fighting graft

The reinstatement of of the suspended executive secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NIHS), Prof. Usman Yusuf while he was still being quizzed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission for alleged N919 million fraud has been described as shocking and scandalous.

The major opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) made this known in a press statement on Wednesday, February 7, by its national publicity secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan.

The PDP also mocked the All Progressives Congress (APC)-controlled Federal Government for the cover up of the cabinet minister reported to have bought a property worth N280 million in Abuja from alleged corrupt enrichment.

Going further, the party said the presidency stinks of corruption and has lost all claim of fighting graft, as long as it continues to protect indicted officials of the APC administration.

"The party said it was disgusting that the same Presidency brandishing a medal of ‘African Union anti-corruption champion’ would short-circuit the processes, arm-twist anti-graft agencies and pull out an indicted government official, while he was still guest at the EFCC where he was being grilled for his alleged maleficence.

"This is a government official probed and thoroughly indicted for abuse of office and fraud to the tune of N919 million by a committee set up by the Minister of Health, comprising of senior officials of the Health ministry, Department of State Services, and the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) and which report was submitted to the president last September.

"The report detailed Yusuf as a public servant who “portrayed a holier than thou attitude but at the background, milked the agency dry” by ganging up with other fraudulent elements to fleece the NHIS to the tune of over N919 million through fraudulent procurements, while name-dropping on the President.

"Instead of allowing for the conclusion of investigation and eventual prosecution by EFCC, the Presidency halted the process and rewarded the indicted official with a recall from suspension, even without any recourse to the supervising minister simply because Prof. Yusuf is not only of the APC but also known to be very close to the president," the PDP said.

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Meanwhile, NAIJ.com had reported that minister of information, Lai Mohammed, said that the reported reinstatement of Usman Yusuf executive secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), will not affect any probe by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The minister of information said Yusuf’s reinstatement would not stop any probe if he was under investigation by the EFCC.

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