The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has appealed to Nigerians not to return looters who allegedly ruined the economy of the country back to power in next year’s elections.
The APC further alleged that there was a gang up against the present government led by President Buhari by the same people who ruined the economy.
It said further that Nigerians should be mindful of people who are using the stolen commonwealth of the country to fund their comeback into political power in the 2019 general elections.
These assertions were made in a statement issued by the APC through its spokesperson, Yekini Nabena, stating that looters were regrouping to use stolen funds to subvert the will of the people through vote buying.
The APC further urged relevant security agencies to be proactive by tracking election financing pointing out that those with illegally-acquired money were using the funds to canvass votes for elective positions.
According to the Party’s Spokesperson, Nigerians have not forgotten the yoke they bore under the “inept” Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) regimes and therefore deserve no more of it.
He further said, funds meant for development of education, healthcare and improved infrastructure that would have enriched the life of Nigerians was diverted to pockets of private individuals.
Excerpts from the statement made by the APC reads;
“While we alert Nigerians to the plot of some politicians to buy votes and deploy other illegal means to subvert the people’s will during the coming elections, we urge relevant agencies to be proactively involved in the tracking of election financing.
The same people who criminally-diverted public monies to fund their political activities as brazenly displayed during past administrations must be prevented from doing same in coming elections.
Under the President Muhammadu Buhari-led All Progressives Congress (APC) administration, the scale of recoveries from corrupt elements in the past three years by the country’s anti-graft agencies is testament that the administration’s extensive anti-corruption drive is yielding results.
Compared to the past, successful prosecution of many corrupt persons, the hugely-successful whistle-blowing policy and voluntary return of corruptly-acquired funds and assets have shown that it is no longer business as usual and corruption is increasingly becoming unacceptable.
Corruption can no longer define how we do things as a country. There is a new realisation among well-meaning Nigerians that if we don’t kill corruption it will kill us.
Recently, the media space has been awash with a campaign of calumny against the anti-corruption efforts by the same opposition partisans and their proxies that ruined the country with their institutionalised corruption. This is expected as corruption will naturally fight back.
Sadly, these thieves have resurfaced to canvass votes of Nigerians for various elective positions, ostensibly to resume their stealing. Nigerians are neither gullible nor stupid. They have not forgotten the yoke they bore under the corrupt Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) regimes and deserve no more of it.
Public funds that could have improved the education, healthcare sectors and provided infrastructure to develop the economic and social life of Nigerians are sadly in the pockets of these thieves.
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To conclude, we share the submission of a former United States (U.S.) Vice President, Joe Biden: ‘Corruption is a cancer; a cancer that eats away at a citizen’s faith in democracy, diminishes the instinct for innovation and creativity… it wastes the talent of entire generations. It scares away investments and jobs.
We must continue to challenge corruption and its related vices. This is line with the Change Agenda the APC promised Nigerians. This is a promise we are committed to keep.”
Reacting to the statement however, the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) through its spokesperson, Kola Ologbodiyan accused the ruling party of shielding members with questionable characters.
According to him;
“We urge the APC to begin its fight against corruption from the Buhari Presidency where the most iniquitous felons enjoy presidential cover.
President Muhammadu Buhari can demonstrate this anti-corruption fight by mandating the EFCC to immediately commence the arraignment of Babachir Lawal.”