The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has called on the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Federal Government to end their false sanctimony and immediately return all stolen funds used to finance Muhammadu Buhari’s election in 2015, to the Federation Account.
The party said the APC and the Federal Government cannot continue to play saints when state governors, who stole hundreds of billions of naira meant for the development of their states to fund Buhari’s election in 2015, are still enjoying cover as members of the Buhari kitchen cabinet, despite outrage from their people.
PDP National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, in a statement yesterday said there is no evidence that the party looted any public fund, noting that the APC and Buhari campaigned for the 2015 presidential election with looted billions of naira meant for the provision of essential amenities for ordinary Nigerians.
The party also chided Information and Culture Minister, Lai Mohammed for asking the PDP to return looted fund, saying on the contrary, the APC should have a reckoning with its conscience.
“If there is any party that should refund looted funds, it is the APC, which directly used stolen money to scheme in the election of President Buhari in 2015, while known culpable persons now sit comfortably around the Presidential table, still superintending over the looting of our common patrimony.
“It is, to say the least, despicable that the APC and its federal government, in their arrogance, would always try to play the saint when they were elected with stolen fund and have continued to reek with filth and sleaze. “Nigerians are aware that prior to the 2015 election, President Buhari had informed (the people) that he was insolvent.
“He however took Nigerians by surprise as he enjoyed one of the most expensive presidential campaigns in the history of our nation, while turning a blind eye to reports of massive looting of funds from APC controlled states.
“This is the APC, whose government, has been rated by international bodies including the Transparency International (TI) which latest report, shows that corruption and sleaze had escalated under its watch.
“This is the same government where ministers and officials indicted for corruption and looting of public funds, particularly in the oil and gas sector, which is directly under the purview of Mr. President, are shielded and condoned.
“While the repositioned PDP maintain its unpretentious stance towards Nigerians, we charge the Minister of Information to direct his demand to the Presidency and the APC as Nigerians are expecting them to refund the stolen funds they used to scheme themselves into office in 2015,” the statement read in part.
The party further asked government to look at the allegations of graft levied against Adebayo Shittu, the Minister of Communication, who has “Been accused of owing his aides N13m; that he has no fewer than 12 houses across the nation; bought a N93m printing press; bought 25 luxury cars for his personal use, among others.”
Meanwhile, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has justified its apology to Nigerians on the need to chart a pathway to national healing, renewal of hope and re-mobilisation of the citizenry for the task of rescuing the nation from the pains inflicted on them by the ruling party.
The PDP said that as a responsible party with the interest of Nigerians at heart, “It is deeply saddened that our people are suffering because the nation allowed the All Progressives Congress (APC), a movement that has neither structure nor plan, to scheme itself into governance, devastate the country, wreck our once robust economy and plunge our citizens into a situation of hunger, starvation and daily bloodletting.”
In a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, yesterday, the party said while certain mistakes were made in its internal administration prior to the 2015 general election, its new leadership has already smoothen the rough edges to ensure strict adherence to internal democracy and good governance in all processes.
“It is imperative to state that our apology has to do more with the fact that we made certain mistakes that allowed an anti-people movement to take over governance in our country. “Our situation under the APC has become so pathetic that the world is now contemplating on how to help us. Under the APC misrule, the average life span of Nigerians has become abysmally low, purchasing power is eroded, the middle class has been wiped off, security is almost non-existent, all the economic gains of the PDP years have been destroyed, and our nation is now placed on auto-pilot.
“It is painful to note that under the nightmarish rule of APC, Nigerians have become so frustrated that they now consider suicide missions and slavery as options.
“Our apology is to ask Nigerians, once again, to put their trust in the rebranded PDP, particularly, as our party is the only platform that is committed to the national agenda of peace, unity, justice and prosperous nation,” the statement read.