Ahmed Bola Tinubu, national leader of the All Progressives Congress during his 66^th birthday celebration says the government must talk about how the Peoples Democratic Party misruled and looted the country

BOLA Tinubu, a national leader of the All Progressives Congress, APC, on Thursday, March 29, advised Nigerians not to accept the apologies tendered by the People s Democratic Party, PDP, for its numerous mistakes while in power.

Speaking at his 66th birthday’s colloquium in Lagos, the former Lagos State governor described the apology tendered by Uche Secondus, national chairman of the PDP, last week as “deceitful,” saying the party remains corrupt and unserious.

According to the apology could not change the effects of the damage that had been done to the nation’s economy.

“For 16 years, they made fake promises, gave us fake figures, and they tell us, ‘Don’t talk about it.’

“It is like, after catching a thief and he tells you, ‘Don’t look at me, go and steal your own’. We are soldering on. We have a good leader to rely on. We have hope.”

Tinubu disagreed with people who said the APC should stop reminding Nigerians about the corrupt activities of the Goodluck Jonathan administration. He said a great lesson could be learnt from the perfidy of the PDP government.

At the colloquium, which is the 10th edition, were President Miuhammadu Buhari, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State and many other governors, lawmakers, ministers, past governors, past ministers, traditional rulers, top industrialists and other categories of people and associates of the celebrator.

The former governor also alluded to letters written by former President Olusegun Obasanjo to President Buhari not to contest in 2019 without mentioning Obasanjo by name. He said: “My grandmother used to send me to a letter writer. Someone is writing letters these days, a letter of politics as if they have never been there before. Bad belle letters.

“The ship of state was about to wreck, but President Buhari steered the ship back. The voyage is the voyage of hope. We are reinventing and re-directing Nigeria. It is not an easy voyage to embark on.”

The former governor traced the genesis of the Buhari administration to the epic battle to effect a change in the polity, stressing that Nigeria has reaped the dividends.

He said: “We came as APC leaders with a lot of hope. We were discussing. We believe in ourselves and Nigeria, that we can change Nigeria. And we are still going to do it again. It came with challenges. Our logo is not honey or sugar, but broom; a united Nigeria against terrorism, corruption, insecurity and for the revival of the economy.”

Tinubu, who thanked Nigerians for their patience and support for the APC government, said the PDP should not return to power to continue what he called the looting of the economy.

He added: “Forget those parties. They won’t come back. We did not envisage that there would be no such challenges. So, we report back to Nigerians about what we found on ground. We did not say that there would be no challenges because, even America is facing challenges.

“PDP looted and wasted our resources. They misused our resources. There is a clear understanding here. There is a difference between us and them, a difference between night and day.”

Nevertheless, Tinubu was full of praises for the president, the vice president, governors, legislators and other dignitaries who came to honour him. He also thanked his wife, Oluremi, “for tolerating home,” adding that she had no choice.

He applauded Ambode for his exceptional commitment to the progress and economic development of Lagos State.

In an obvious reference to the endorsement of the governor for a second term by stakeholders, Tinubu said after many work, “the result is more work.” On the governor’ achievements, Tinubu said: “I can see what the government is doing with so little. It has produced results.”

He also commended the cordial relations between the governor and Idiat Adebule, his deputy.

Tinubu, who spoke on the importance of a re-invigorated pension scheme, promised to write prepare a technical paper for the president on the crucial matter.

He added: “The challenge of the economy is on. We should consider micro-credit. We should return to the mortgage culture to reduce corruption. We need to rework the pension. I will submit a proposal on how we can stimulate the economy. We don’t have to pay for a house of N10 million in one day and with cash. We need mortgage. This would discourage corruption.

“Hope is back. We have the audacity of it. We will bring back Nigeria to the path of progress and banish poverty forever.”

– Mar. 30, 2018 @ 15:55 GMT |