The People’s Democratic Party
(PDP) has accused the All Progressive Congress (APC) of double standard and
insincerity as the party that once chastised immediate past President Goodluck
Jonathan for seeking regional cooperation to finding solution to the challenge
of insurgency is now hailing President Muhammadu Buhari for toeing the same
line.
PDP National Publicity Secretary,
Olisa Metuh in a statement on Sunday said in the days ahead, Nigerians should
expect further unmasking of APC’s double standard and blackmail upon which they
rode to power.
The party also condemned the
venom with which the APC attacked well-meaning Nigerians for daring to offer
constructive criticisms to President Buhari, following apparent loss of tempo
in the fight against insurgency since he took office, describing such as
unacceptable in a democracy especially in a country like Nigeria where the citizens
have been enjoying freedom of expression in the last 16 years under the PDP.
“The APC must understand that
the hallmark of democracy is freedom of expression and opinion, particularly on
governance issues; inalienable rights of all citizens guaranteed by the
constitution and which must not be denied them under any guise whatsoever.
President Mhammadu Buhari and
President of Niger Republic, Issoufou Mahamadou while waiting for the Press
conference shortly after the bilateral meeting at the presidential palace in
Niamey on June 3rd 2015
President Mhammadu Buhari and
President of Niger Republic, Issoufou Mahamadou while waiting for the Press
conference shortly after the bilateral meeting at the presidential palace in
Niamey on June 3rd 2015.
“Though we had decided to give
President Muhammadu Buhari and the ruling party time to settle down, indicators
show that the APC is not getting its bearing right and the PDP as a party that
has nurtured and sustained democracy in the last 16 years, we cannot fold our
hands and watch our nation drift towards dangerous undemocratic paths”, the
party said.
The PDP lamented that since the
APC took over power at the center, there has been no clear sign of seriousness
and direction, but confusion, selfish infighting and hysteria for positions of
power while the nation drifts, noting that the situation is unhealthy for
democracy and national development.
“The concern of well-meaning
Nigerians is that this may be a pointer to the fact that the APC lacks
clear-cut directions on how to govern a nation as complex as Nigeria”, it said.
The PDP observed that though
some jostling for political offices are expected among politicians in a
democracy, Nigerians are not comfortable with the confusion in the APC camp and
the dimension it has assumed.
The party said “the negative
effect of the glaring political commotion in the APC is compounding President
Buhari’s self-confessed nervousness and puzzlement, his flip-flops and
worrisome reneging on campaign promises for which Nigerians will continue to
hold him accountable.
“Instead of fighting for
positions, which betrays their lust, APC leaders should be more concerned with
how to help President Buhari, who is still struggling with his ministerial list
and basic appointments more than a week after his inauguration.
“They should be more concerned
with how to end insurgency by the end of July as promised by President Buhari
in his April 2, 2015 CNN interview.
“They should be concerned about
how to pay N5,000 each to 25 million poor Nigerians beginning from the end of
June; how to bring the naira to the same value with the dollar; provide
allowances to the discharged but unemployed Youth Corps members for Twelve (12)
months; provide free education and meals for school children among others as they
promised during the campaigns.
“We invite the APC to note the
concern of Nigerians that the pictures emanating from their camp are not
reassuring in this direction”, the PDP said
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