You Were Elected With Stolen Fund, PDP Fires Back at APC, Lai Mohammed | CNR

President Mohammadu Buhari

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP has replied the statement by Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed, calling on the PDP to return alleged looted fund as their apology to Nigerians was not enough, saying that the All Progressives Congress, APC presidential campaign in 2015 was executed with stolen fund.

It charged the APC and the Federal Government to end their false sanctimony and immediately return all stolen funds used to finance President Muhammadu Buhari’s election in 2015 to the Federation Account.

The party said the "APC and its Federal Government cannot continue to play the saints when state governors, who stole hundreds of billions of naira meant for the development of their states to fund President Buhari in 2015, are still enjoying cover as members of the Buhari kitchen cabinet, despite outrage from Nigerians".

In a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, on Tuesday, the PDP maintained that there was no evidence that the PDP, as a party, looted any public fund, adding that, the APC and President Buhari campaigned for the 2015 presidential election with looted billions of naira meant for the provision of essential amenities for ordinary Nigerians.

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The party said the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, misfired in his outburst that the PDP should return alleged looted funds, when the only party known to have used looted funds is the APC.

The statement read in part: "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 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.

"Indeed, 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.

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"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.

"Even presently,  Mr Adebayo Shittu, the Minister of Communication, 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.

The party insisted that the repositioned PDP would maintain its unpretentious stance towards Nigerians, and charged the Minister of Information to direct his demand to the Presidency and the APC as Nigerians were expecting them to refund the stolen funds they used to scheme themselves into office in 2015.