Alhaji Lai Mohammed, Minister of Information and Culture
The Federal Government has asked the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to go the whole hog with its apology to Nigerians by returning all the funds looted from the public treasury under its watch during its 16 years in power.
”The PDP presided over an unprecedented looting of the public treasury, perhaps the worst of its kind in Nigeria or anywhere else in the world. Therefore, the best evidence of penitence for such a party is not just to own up and apologise, but to also return the looted funds. Anything short of that is mere deceit.
”Even with the paucity of funds, this Administration has spent an unprecedented amount of money on infrastructural development and Social Investment Programme, among others. Returning looted funds will provide more money for these programmes and make life more meaningful
for Nigerians. There is no better apology than that,” it said.
Alhaji Mohammed also reminded the PDP of the quote: ”If you find yourself in a hole, stop digging,” saying it applies to the PDP at
this time.
”PDP, press the reset button. Stop sabotaging the work of this Administration, which is packing the mess you left behind, through
your reckless statements and unfounded allegations. Play responsible opposition politics. Put Nigeria’s interest over and above partisan interest. Temper your desperation to return to power. Spend quality
time in the purgatory and you will be forgiven,” he said.
In its own response, the All Progressives Congress (APC) said it the opposition PDP needs to atone for its sins before restoration is granted.
In a statement issued by Malam Bolaji Abdullah, National Publicity Secretary, the APC said it “acknowledges the apologies by the Peoples Democracy Party (PDP) for the damage the party has wrought on the country’s democratic fabric during its sixteen year rule.
” However, despite this belated grovelling apology, PDP will need to come clean, confess to their sins and fully atone for it, before restitution is considered.
” As they say, to err is human but forgiveness is divine. We join PDP in praying to God to forgive them, but Nigerians are human who are still suffering from the years of PDP’s misrule. Therefore, even if Nigerians are gracious enough to forgive, they will not forget in a hurry.”
