The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has accused officials in the President Muhammadu Buhari-led All Progressives Congress (APC) government, from the top to the bottom of being enmeshed in corruption.
The PDP was responding to the statement by the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, who maintained that the current government remained truthful to its corruption fight and dared Nigerians who felt otherwise to show evidence of corruption in the government.
In a statement on Wednesday by its national spokesman, Kola Ologbondiyan, the PDP described the posture by Mohammed on corruption as desperate efforts to divert attention from the “stench of monumental corruption” in Buhari’s government.
“Nigerians have noted the blackmails, intimidation and threats coming from government quarters, in their feverish bid to frustrate whistleblowers and truncate on-going uncovering of widespread corruption in ministries, departments and agencies, under the APC administration, for which Nigerians cannot wait to see the exit of this party of horrendous looters.
“One of such antics by this administration was the Tuesday July 28, 2020 press conference by the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, wherein he dared Nigerians, particularly whistleblowers, despite revelations of rampant corruption virtually in all aspects of government under the APC.
“Our party is however not surprised that this corrupt administration resorted to distortion of facts and daring of citizens when its officials from the top to the bottom are all soiled in the foul potage of corruption.
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“It is ridiculous that this administration seeks to claim credit for the investigation and unearthing of fraud in the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) when it is already public knowledge that the investigation only came as a result of pressure mounted by our party and other Nigerians.
“This is more so as the corruption in the EFCC under the APC had reached an embarrassing crescendo that it could no longer be concealed.
“Such humongous corruption in the EFCC under the APC confirms the level of financial malfeasance and a shameful breach of trust by this administration, in which very top officials of the Buhari Presidency had been mentioned,” the statement read.
The opposition party, therefore, challenged the APC federal government to give account of the N800 billion, which Lai Mohammed claimed to have been recovered, especially given allegations that recovered monies had been re-looted and shared among topmost officials of the Buhari administration and APC leaders.
“Rather than resorting to false performance claims, the expectation of Nigerians is that this administration would have sent Lai Mohammed to apologise for this display of gross abuse of position especially as it relates to the fight against corruption.
“We further invite Nigerians to note that Lai Mohammed, in his press conference, admitted that he could not go into the details of the various corruption issues in the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF), EFCC and other agencies.
“Our party holds that this is an evasion of gory tales of direct stealing, treasury looting and barefaced embezzlements by government officials and APC leaders as already exposed in on-going investigations at the National Assembly and at the presidential panel.
“With this shocking suppression of information related to corrupt practices, by no other person than the minister of information, Nigerians and the world at large are no longer in doubt that concealment of corruption in ministries, department and agencies is an official policy of the APC administration because their leaders are involved,” the PDP added.
Opinions