The Peoples Democratic Party has alleged plans by indicted federal government officials to use the invasion of CACOVID palliative warehouses to escape investigation into the reported stealing and criminal diversion of funds and palliatives provided by the Federal Government to cushion the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In a statement signed by PDP' spokesman, Kola Ologbondiyan, the party said it is appalled by the scandalous attempt by the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar Farouq, to create an impression that the CACOVID palliatives besieged in the aftermath of the EndSARS protest were the same federal government palliatives for which she is required to give account.

Ologbondiyan informed the minister that such infantile antics cannot sway Nigerians, as the public is already aware that CACOVID palliatives came from donations from wells meaning individuals and organizations which is completely different from the N500 billion voted by the federal government, which has not been accounted for.

The PDP spokesman said plans by the minister to muddle-up issues and confuse Nigerians only goes to validate allegations of stealing and diversion of funds and palliatives provided by the Federal Government and placed under her purview. 

He said the CACOVID palliatives has nothing to do with the alleged stealing and diversion of funds in the cash disbursement of N20,000 to undocumented beneficiaries leading to a widespread outcry by Nigerians that bulk of the money may have been diverted. 

According to him, the embattled minister has not explained the reason for the obvious circumventing of statutory public finance report system and appropriate documentation by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), leading to the alleged diversion of funds to private purses.

He said nobody should hide under CACOVID to foreclose investigations into the stealing of funds meant for the poor and vulnerable in the country.

While calling for calm, however, the main opposition party urged the Federal Government to end such provocative antics being played by its officials to cover corruption.