Dokpesi Describes $2.1bn Arms Deal As Nothing But A Hoax

Aleogho Raymond DokpesiThe Chairman Emeritus of DAAR Communications, Chief Raymond Dokpesi, has said that the claim by the Economics and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) that the office of the former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki, diverted $2.1 billion arms deal fund was nothing but a hoax, aimed at destroying the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

Ongoing probe into how the controversial $2.1 billion arms deal fund was spent under the Goodluck Jonathan administration has led to the arrest and trial of the former NSA, Col. Dasuki (retd.) and other prominent PDP chieftains including Dokpesi, former Governor of Sokoto State, Attahiru Bafarawa and his son; former national chairman of PDP, Dr. Mohammed Bello and his son; former Minister of State for Finance, Ambassador Bashir Yuguda among others.

Speaking yesterday at AIT conference hall while receiving a certificate of patron by the PDP National Youth Vanguard after a solidarity rally calling for the release of the party’s national publicity secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh, Dokpesi expressed confidence that the courts would vindicate him and others presently undergoing trial in relation to the arms deal fund.

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“I must hasten to assure you that there is nothing like the much flaunted 2.1 Billion USD Arms gate. The competent courts of our land would sooner or later prove this coinage aimed at decimating the leadership and membership of our great party to be nothing but a hoax”, he said.

The media mogul stressed that the governing All Progressives Congress, APC, is making efforts to impede the PDP’s journey to political maturity through the manipulation of the federal system to serve what he termed purely partisan interest.

According to him, “Our Party is indeed experiencing a massive persecution, political reprisal and vendetta, of the kind never before seen on our shores and targeted at the leadership, membership and indeed sympathizers of the PDP by the APC Government of the day.

“I speak with regards to several matters before the law courts of our Country concerning PDP members and especially my humble self on charges filed against us by the Federal Government and would crave your indulgence not to make any comments as doing so would be subjudice”.

“However let me call on all members of the PDP nationwide especially you members of the Youth Vanguard to remain firmly resolute and stand behind the Leadership of the Party at all levels in our bid to ensure the Party gets fair hearing and judgments in all the cases at the various election tribunals. The provisions of section 287 of our constitution are very clear on the obedience of court orders by all arms of Government”, Dokpesi added.

Also a leader in the party, Alhaji Gabon said the PDP owes no one no apology in its last 16 years as a governing party.

“There is no state of the federation that has not witnessed the political transformation courtesy of the PDP”, he stated.

“Even though we may have made our mistakes. Nobody has the monopoly of rascalism, nobody has the monopoly of totalitarism”, the PDP chieftain fumed.

According to him, it was PDP members that stood against the dictatorial government of late Sani Abacha to entrench the democratic setting everyone is now enjoying including the present APC administration.

Earlier, leader of the PDP National Youth Vanguard, Ambassador Ibrahim Bala Aboki, said they were honoring Dokpesi for his doggedness and steadfastness in his resolve to support the youth despite the persecution he is suffering.

He also charged the EFCC to stop the ‘selective’ persecution of only PDP members whilst portraying the APC members as saints.