You are founder of corruption in Nigeria, APC replies opposition party
By Chuks Okocha and Adedayo Akinwale
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday claimed that the unbridled treasury looting and extortion by the cabal in the Presidency and the All Progressives Congress (APC) are directly responsible for the excruciating poverty and escalated insecurity being suffered by Nigerians in the last five years.
But in a swift response, the APC has described the PDP as the founder of corruption in Nigeria, to the extent that evil practices were made official way of life during the opposition party’s “16 wasteful years”.
The PDP further said that the grandstanding by the Presidency in response to revelations of abuses and sleazes emanating from the investigation of the suspended acting Chairman of the APC-controlled Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Ibrahim Magu, has exposed a desperate attempt by a cabal to delink certain of its officials from indictment in the saga.
According to a statement by the National Publicity Secretary of PDP, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan, the recent revelations of widespread treasury looting, including the alleged allocation of billions of stolen money to certain top government officials, have also exposed the hypocrisy of the APC and how its leaders are mercilessly plundering the economy while abandoning the citizens to a life of squalor.
“The picture is becoming clearer on how APC leaders, in the last five years, siphoned and pocketed over N14 trillion, from various government agencies, meant for the development of the nation and the welfare of Nigerians.
“From unfolding events, Nigerians are no longer in doubt that treasury looting is the official manifesto of the APC, which has now been exposed as a deceitful party that came to power by pretenses and pointing of accusing fingers at others while its real intention had always been to sweep the treasuries for their selfish gains”, the party alleged.
According to the PDP, this explains why the APC administration has failed to expose those involved in the wholesale stealing of N9.6 trillion ($25 billion) oil money as detailed in the leaked NNPC memo just as no steps have been taken by the APC government to investigate and recover the money.
The PDP spokesperson said that it equally explains why the APC administration had also failed to expose those behind the reported stealing of N1.1 trillion worth of crude oil, using 18 unregistered vessels linked to some of its leaders and why the money was never recovered.
“This is in addition to the mindless looting in revenue related agencies including the Federal Inland Revenue Services (FIRS), the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) among other agencies, which have been turned into ATM machines for APC leaders while Nigerians suffer neglect.
“The latest revelation of massive looting in NDDC, as detailed by its former Managing Director, Ms Joy Nunieh, as well as the silence of the Presidency on the issues raised, give further insight into how resources meant for the development of our nation are being pillaged under the APC,” the main opposition political party stated.
More distressing, it claimed are allegations that APC leaders are also looting part of the huge borrowings by the Buhari’s administration as well as diverting social intervention funds, such as the N500 billion Social Investment Programme fraud revealed by the First Lady, Mrs. Aisha Buhari.
This, PDP said, is in addition to alleged stealing of repatriated funds and proceeds of huge multiple taxes imposed by the APC administration
It stressed that this massive looting by the APC is responsible for the collapse of infrastructure in all sectors; a frightening 23.1 percent unemployment rate, escalated insecurity, high costs of essential goods, increased morbidity rate, reduced life expectancy and a despondent citizenry.
However, in a swift response, the APC has said that the PDP was the founder of corruption in Nigeria, to the extent that evil practices were made official way of life during its “16 wasteful years”.
The Deputy National Publicity of the party, Mr. Yekini Nabena, stated this in a statement issued yesterday in Abuja, while assuring all Nigerians that the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari would not condone any form of corrupt practices.
He insisted that the administration was committed to fighting corruption as promised.
Nabena said, “The former ruling party, PDP does not have what it takes to lament about its alleged corruption practices in the present administration of APC. It is on records that the PDP is the founder of corruption in Nigeria, to the extent that the evil practices were made official way of life during its 16 wasteful years.
“In APC’s government nobody is above the law. The fact that the suspended acting chairman of the EFCC, Mr. Ibrahim Magu is being investigated should send a signal to all those who think and have blackmailed the government’s anti-corruption battle. The Presidency has assured that there is no hiding place for any corrupt government official in this administration being led by an incorruptible personality, in person of President Muhammadu Buhari.”
Nabena called on Nigerians should ignore the fake lamentations of an unrepentant corrupt PDP.
He stressed that the main opposition party was only pained that it was no longer in government, adding that PDP did not have a history of caring for the people even when the revenue generations were at the highest levels.
