APC to Ayu: Return Nigeria’s stolen assets with PDP members

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has charged the new leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to focus on genuine restitution, return of stolen public funds and assets still in possession of politically exposed persons during the party’s 16-year administration.

National Secretary, Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC), Senator John James Akpanudoedehe, on Saturday, said this should be the task before the Iyorcha Ayu-led leadership rather than the intent of power grabbing in 2023.

Akpanudoedehe stated that the newly-inaugurated leadership of the PDP has shown early signs that it is not different from the immediate-past and sacked leadership of the failed opposition party.

He said: “Going by the utterances and direction of the new PDP leadership, any hope of a refocused opposition party expected to atone for misdeeds on the country when it was in government for 16 years and as a failed opposition party following PDP’s sack in 2015 have now been quickly dashed.

“Clearly, the PDP’s sole intent is power grabbing by any means, ignoring the need for genuine restitution, return of stolen public funds and assets still in possession of politically exposed persons during its 16-year administration and ultimately providing a truly viable and credible opposition our democracy needs to thrive.

“The PDP’s new leadership must prove to Nigerians that it is willing and ready to discard its penchant for impunity by submitting to the new democratic environment entrenched by the President Muhammadu Buhari-led APC government where votes count and the will of the people prevails in all electoral contests.

“This is the task before the new Senator Iyorchia Ayu-led PDP. Not empty and tired rhetorics of 2023 handover notes.

“The sit-tight syndrome headlined by the PDP’s ill-fated third-term agenda has been discarded as an undemocratic template. “President Muhammadu Buhari has assured Nigerians and the international community of free and fair elections in 2023, even as he pledged peaceful transfer of power. That is the stuff of true progressives and statesmanship.”

The ruling party said their priority has been clearing the national rot left behind by the PDP, especially in the handling of insecurity in its early days, its financial heist under the guise of procuring military weapons, fuel subsidy rackets, diverted loans, voodoo economics, abuse of public institutions and electoral fraud.

According to APC, “Despite obvious challenges on the path, the President Muhammadu Buhari government is successfully clearing the rot and returning the country to its deserved place. This includes continuous electoral reforms and non-interference in the functions of INEC; institutional reforms which have ensured financial autonomy for local government councils; financial autonomy of state legislatures and judiciaries; assenting the long-delayed Petroleum Industry Act (PIA); infrastructure revolution in road, rail and air transportation; implementing social investments programmes thereby financially empowering millions, particularly poor Nigerians, among others.

“The hugely-successful economic diversification drive of the President Buhari government has released the creative energies of citizens and boosted agricultural productivity. Also, this government’s diversification policies has led to massive growth of the non-oil sector, spurring Nigeria’s highest growth in the last 7 years.

“Record investments in the Armed Forces and other security services has equipped, raised their morale and enabled them to effectively secure our lives and properties. The old system where impunity and corruption was pervasive is no longer the norm.”