Public Funds Looters Will Be Fished Out, Prosecuted – APC Vows
BY VICTOR BUORO, ABUJA – The All Progressives Congress (APC) has declared that President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government would not spare or condone looters of public funds within and outside the government.
The APC also said that the most ardent critics of President Buhari and the government he leads will definitely concede to the fact the government is unsparing and do not condone thieves within and outside government.
These were contained in a statement by the National Secretary of the APC Caretaker and Extra-ordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC), Senator John Akpanudoedehe, while responding to allegations made by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that the Buhari’s regime remains the most corrupt government ever in Nigeria.
According to Akpanudoedehe; “In the past weeks, the PDP has laboured to canvass tales of a phantom stolen N15 trillion public funds in the media. It is not surprising that the generality of discerning Nigerians have ignored the unfounded and baseless allegation because it is clear that only the PDP believes its deviant tales.
“From petroleum subsidy rackets, unexecuted electricity, roads to arms contracts to fight against insurgency in North East, the PDP had been known with misappropriation and diversion of public funds. These became the mainstay and pastime of successive PDP administrations.
“That Nigeria had since left that era under Buhari. The PDP should back its allegations with facts. Nigeria is definitely not where it was in terms of the pervasive corruption, impunity which ultimately ended the PDP administrations of 16 years of the locust,” APC said.
The ruling party said that with the implementation of Treasury Single Account (STA), Biometric Verification Number (BVN), Whistle Blowing policy and other initiatives by the Buhari administration, the fight against corruption remained one of its strongest successes.
The APC said it however does not expect the PDP to see the positive impacts of the initiatives which included increased government savings among others, adding that the bribe for jobs and other employment rackets perpetuated under PDP’s watch remained one of the most disgraceful and lowest points in the country’s history.
The APC further said; “Nigeria is no island, we suffered our fair share of the economic impact of the COVID-19 global pandemic on livelihoods and jobs. Commendably, Buhari showed leadership in cushioning the effects and guiding the country out of the economic challenges.
“No government in the country’s history has systematically put in place measures to create jobs and alleviate poverty like the President Buhari government”. The APC also said that the proactive and successful implementation of the N2.3 trillion Economic Sustainability Plan (ESP) did not only stimulated the economy and prevented business collapse, but also created jobs.
It said this was especially through support to labour-intensive sectors such as agriculture, direct labour interventions and infrastructural investments, adding that the administration’s N75 billion National Youth Investment Fund (NYIF) and the Micro Small Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) Survival Fund included Payroll Support for businesses in health, education, hospitality and food production sectors had targeted millions.
The APC noted that the funds equally provided opportunities for youths and many Nigerian businesses.
