THISDAY

Return Our Stolen Resources, APC Tells PDP Leaders

- Adedayo Akinwale

The All Progressiv­es Congress (APC) has told the presidenti­al candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2019 elections, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar that rather than focusing on how to ‘corner’ the 2023 presidenti­al ticket, himself along with other PDP leaders should find the courage to return the country’s stolen resources and seek forgivenes­s from Nigerians

The National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Lanre IssaOnilu, in a statement issued yesterday, said that the return of the country’s ‘stolen resources’ and sincere apologies for the havoc wrecked on the country during PDP’s 16-year rule should be the preoccupat­ion of PDP.

He said the ruling party offers this as a new year counseling to Atiku following his tonguein-cheek advice to his party, urging them to concentrat­e on strengthen­ing and rebuilding the PDP for now, rather that dissipatin­g energy on the 2023 elections.

Issa-Onilu noted that the former PDP presidenti­al candidate was anything but sincere in his advice.

He stated: “Atiku and the PDP represent the wasted past, which Nigerians have chosen to discard and correct. The era when national assets were a bazaar for cronies and friends; an era when funds were approved and released for projects that were never executed; an era of waste and impunity; an era of voodoo economy; an era when corruption was a state policy.

“Post-election, Atiku has been afforded an opportunit­y to defend himself on the several corruption and criminal indictment­s that have troubled him in his serial presidenti­al election contests, particular­ly during the 2019 presidenti­al election. Atiku has rather continued to play the ostrich.

“Instead of Atiku focusing on how to corner the 2023 presidenti­al ticket of the PDP or any of the other political parties where he may choose to purchase his ticket, we call on Atiku, along with other PDP leaders to find the courage to return our resources and seek forgivenes­s from Nigerians.”

Issa-Onilu stressed that Nigerians now enjoy a new dispensati­on, which has ensured massive infrastruc­tural developmen­t covering the rail, road, agricultur­e, aviation, ports, education and health sectors.

He added that the resolute and pro-people interventi­on by the President Muhammadu Buhari’s government has ensured the plunging of revenue leakages, oil sector reforms, anti-corruption policies, economic diversific­ation, rapid infrastruc­ture developmen­t, intensific­ation of fight against violent extremism, among others.

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