The threat to institute legal action against Lai Mohammed, minister of information, did not stop the federal government from releasing another list of alleged looters.
After the first list containing five names was made public, Uche Secondus, chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), gave Mohammed 48 hours to withdraw it and tender an apology.
But rather than accede to Secondus’ demand, Mohammed released another list which had 23 names, including Femi Fani-Kayode, former minister of aviation, and three PDP senators.
The senators are Stella Oduah from Anambra, Jonah Jang from Plateau and Peter Nwaboishi from Delta.
According to Channels TV, the new list of alleged looters are, “Former NSA, Sambo Dasuki; former Petroleum Resources Minister, Dieziani Alison-Madukwe; Rtd. Lt.-Gen. Kenneth Minimah; Lt.-Gen. Azubuike Ihejirika; Alex Barde, former Chief of Defence Staff; Inde Dikko, former CG Customs; Air Marshal Adesola Amosu; Senator Bala Abdulkadir, former FCT Minister; Senator Stella Oduah; former Niger State Governor, Babangida Aliyu and Senator Jonah Jang, former Plateau state governor.
Others are, Bashir Yuguda, former Minister of State for Finance; Senator Peter Nwaboshi; Aliyu Usman, Former NSA Dasuki’s aide; Ahmad Idris, former NSA Dasuki’s PA; Rasheed Ladoja, former Oyo state governor; Tom Ikimi; Hassan Tukur, former PPS to President Goodluck; Nenadi Usman; Benedicta Iroha; Aliyu Usman Jawaz, close ally of former NSA Dasuki; Jonah Jang, former Plateau State Governor and Godknows Igali.
Mohammed said the list released earlier was based on verifiable facts, adding that those complaining that the list was too short did not understand that it was a teaser.
”At the press conference where the list was released, I did say it was a tip of the iceberg. Apparently, this does not mean anything to people whose style is to comment on issues they barely understand, or just to shoot down anything coming from the government,” he said,
“What was the PDP expecting when it challenged the FG to name the looters of the public treasury under the party’s watch? Did the PDP actually believe that the massive looting under its watch was a joke? Did they think it is April Fool?”
The minister said the PDP’s reaction to the looters’ list has shown that its recent apology is an election-induced act, contrived to deceive unsuspecting Nigerians to vote for the party in the 2019 general election.
“The hysterical and panicky reaction from the PDP has shown that the party is not at all sincere about its choreographed apology. Were it not the case, the party would have followed in the footsteps of one of its leaders, Senator Ibrahim Mantu, who simply owned up to his role in the party’s rigging in the past elections and said he had turned a new leaf.
“It is said that a true confession is done in humility with an attitude of repentance. It is clear that the PDP does not know this, hence its resort to hubris instead of humility and genuine penitence.”