774,000 Jobs: PDP House Of Reps Caucus To Sue President Buhari, Keyamo |The Source

By Akinwale Kasali

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, caucus members in the House of Representatives are set to sue President Muhammadu Buhari and the Minister of State, Labour, Employment and Productivity, Festus Keyamo over the 774,000 job scheme.  They alleged it is politically motivated.

They allege the Federal Government is undermining the National Assembly, especially on the Special Public Works Scheme by the Federal Government.

The PDP caucus, which said it had “unequivocally rejected and dissociated itself” from the programme, “strongly” admonished its members to ignore the letters written to Senators and House members by State coordinators of the National Directorate of Employment on behalf of Keyamo, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria.

The lawmaker particularly accused Keyamo and the NDE management of disregarding the Parliament under Buhari’s watch.

Also, the caucus apologised to Nigerians for being part of the National Assembly that approved the N52bn for the implementation of the programme in the 2020 Appropriation Act.

The lawmakers also declared the N20,000 stipend to be paid to each beneficiary for three months as illegal as it is against the provisions of the National Minimum Wages Act.

Leader of the PDP caucus, Kingsley Chinda, said this in a statement issued on Monday, titled ‘774,000 Job Scheme: PDP Caucus Says Scheme Politically Motivated, Unsustainable…Vows to Employ Legal Action to Address Encroachment of Statutory Functions, Fundamental Human Rights.’

Chinda added, “The PDP caucus of the House, as members of the National Assembly, does not exonerate itself from responsibility in the approval of funds for implementation of the misguided Special Public Works Programme and unreservedly apologise to Nigerians for the planned misapplication of their scarce resources.”

He stated, “The caucus has resolved to employ legislative and lawful processes including institution of legal action were necessary to address any encroachment on the performance of our statutory functions and fundamental human rights.