The New Peoples Democratic Party (nPDP) has challenged the Federal Government to account for the $5 billion which has allegedly disappeared from the nation’s Excess Crude Account (ECA). It, at the same time, challenged the country’s anti-graft agencies to prove their relevance by getting to the root of the matter.

New PDP in a statement issued this evening by its National Publicity Secretary, Chief Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, said it decided to throw the challenge “after a careful study of the disclosure made by the Chairman, Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, while declaring open the second annual retreat of the NGF on 15th November, 2013 in Sokoto.

According to Governor Amaechi, the Excess Crude Account stood at $9 billion last January but has shrunk to only $4 billion as at today.”

“We consider this development too weighty to be swept under the carpet in view of the stature of the person making the allegation and the realities on ground. For all intents and purposes, Gov. Amaechi is not a frivolous person and is not known for making frivolous claims. We told Nigerians about the poor handling of our common patrimony by this administration and sadly nobody took seriously as today, the unmistakable evidence is that Nigeria is broke as the Federal Government now finds it difficult to meet its obligations to states, local governments and contractors,” Eze said.

New PDP commended Amaechi for bringing the matter to the open and challenged the Federal Government “to tell Nigerians what it did with the money.” “We also hereby challenge the anti-graft agencies to prove their relevance by unearthing the whereabouts of this huge sum of money,” the party said.

It congratulated the NGF for a successful retreat and identified with its call for transparency in the operations of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and the need to develop a National Security Framework for the country.

“That this administration is running for a price award as the most corrupt administration in the annals of governance in Nigeria is not in doubt but we urge Nigerians to heed the advice of the NGF and stop being docile in the face of monumental impunity in the country. This, in reality, is the only way to rescue Nigeria from the path of doom,” Eze stated.

•Photo shows New PDP National Chairman, Alhaji Abubakar Baraje.