Ruling All Progressives Congress, on Sunday, lambasted the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party, former President Olusegun Obasanjo and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, saying none of them can point a way forward for Nigeria because they failed to do so when they had the opportunity.
APC asked former President Olusegun Obasanjo, in particular, to tell Nigerians why they were yet to get a steady power supply despite claims by his administration that it spent $16 billion on the power sector.
“These political actors probably only listen to their own voices because Nigerians have long stopped taking them seriously as they simply lack the antecedents and moral credentials to guide Nigeria and Nigerians to the path of prosperity and progress”
This was contained in a statement titled, “Political Actors That Midwifed National Rot Cannot Chart Way Forward – APC,” signed by its Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Yekini Nabena, in Abuja, on Sunday.
The statement was in response to a statement credited to the former President, who said Nigeria was inching towards a failed state under President Muhammadu Buhari.
Nabena said, “It is baffling that the same political actors that midwifed and institutionalised the national rot, corruption, impunity and eroding of our value systems are the same characters posing as voices on the way forward in our national life. How ironic!
“Former President Olusegun Obasanjo could start with telling us where the electricity is despite $16billion he spent on the power sector. Obasanjo’s deputy, Alh. Atiku Abubakar should account for the privatisation exercise under his watch which saw national assets sold off to friends and cronies with no benefit to the country. Successive Peoples Democratic Party administrations can also start by accounting for the trillions stolen from our national coffers in the guise of a fraudulent fuel subsidy regime.
“While it is well within the rights of these political actors to write skewed letters, spew empty, hypocritical, tongue-in-cheek, and two-faced economic magic models in line with their Dubai meeting strategies, this administration is walking the talk with verifiable projects and people-centred interventions that is uplifting Nigerians.
“These political actors probably only listen to their own voices because Nigerians have long stopped taking them seriously as they simply lack the antecedents and moral credentials to guide Nigeria and Nigerians to the path of prosperity and progress.”
He further said “Instead of the “do or die” lingo Obasanjo and the PDP introduced to our electioneering, votes are beginning to count as our elections improve steadily. Their abandoned projects which constituted drainpipes on national resources are being completed by this administration.
“The brazen culture of impunity and corruption which they institutionalised is being replaced by strong and accountable systems. The culture of round tripping and the rested subsidy regime in the petroleum sector has been replaced by a deregulated and accountable petroleum pricing template. Instead of plotting how to sell national assets, particularly the NNPC to friends, this administration is reforming public sector operations to ensure optimised service delivery.
“We are gradually eating what we grow. Our national emergency health response has earned global accolades and recognition as displayed by our COVID-19 response. Our defence capacity to respond and contain emerging security challenges is now tested and proven. How did Nigeria achieve this? A strong, people-centred and focussed leadership which the President Muhammadu Buhari-led APC administration provides.”
APC reiterated that the recent deregulation of the petroleum sector would save Nigeria as much as one trillion naira ($2.6 billion), according to the Petroleum Minister of State, Timipre Sylva.
The ruling party added that Nigerians should trust that the freed-up cash will be accounted for and be judiciously invested to develop other critical areas such as infrastructure, health care, education, among others.