Date: 2016-08-22

The immediate past Minister of National Planning, Prof. Abubakar Sulaiman, Sunday challenged the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to own up to its failings and stop the singsong of corruption allegedly perpetrated by the previous administration.

He said attempt by the APC chairman, Mr. John Oyegun "to continuously trade in deception and blackmail suggests a man that lacks remorse and finds it difficult to accept defeat".

Sulaiman who noted that the APC government had destroyed Nigeria's economy advised the party to apologize to Nigerians and stop the blame game.

In a statement made available to our correspondent on Sunday, the ex-Minister also accused the government of being selective and despotic in its anti-graft battle, saying attempt to tag former officials of President Goodluck Jonathan's administration as the only corrupt people in Nigeria is unfair.

He challenged the APC chairman to, as a Christian, "kindly take to the pulpit and swear by the holy bible that you, Chief John Oyegun was not privy to billions of naira collected from APC - controlled states such as Rivers, Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Kano, Sokoto, Kwara just to mention but few".

He also stated that the APC could not also deny the fact that received campaign donations from many APC governors; some of whom now serve in the present administration in different capacities.

The former Minister insisted that the economy in the last one year of the current administration had plummeted with galloping inflation, high exchange rate, states unable to pay salaries, among others.

He said, "For a party that has nothing to offer, the blame games continue. We have had more than enough allegations of corruption often brought against the "sinner" PDP members, while everybody in APC is adjudged a saint.

"Nigerians have heard how arms' monies were being 'utilized' for campaign purposes by the Jonathan boys and their cohorts. Yes, you have claimed often times that PDP and indeed Jonathan people are the only corrupt elements in Nigeria.

"The question is; how has this affected the price of garri from 3,500 to 8, 500 naira? A bag of rice from 7000 naira in May 2015 to 22,000 naira in August 2016? Loaf of bread from 200 naira in May 2015 to 400 naira in August 2016?

"A basket of Tomato from 5000 under Jonathan to 42000 naira under your government? How serious is the problem that, it is only under your government that almost all the states of the federation could not pay salaries? Perhaps Nigerians are yet to be told that some universities are currently not getting their full salaries since June this year".

He advised the APC to play politics of inclusion rather than of exclusion, urging the Chairman to "fear God in your judgement of people and shun socio-political corruption which today has become the hallmark of your government". "The largest economy in Africa as at May last year is now no 3", he added.