• Lauds Wike, Fayose over gesture to victims of herdsmen attacks
Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja
The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has said the appointment of former Lagos State governor, Senator Bola Tinubu, to reconcile warring members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) will not save the party from defeat in 2019.
In statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, the PDP berated the Presidency for deploying resources mearnt for the people to pursue President Muhammadu Buhari’s 2019 re-election bid.
“It is ludicrous that after almost three years of failure to deliver on the littlest of its campaign promises, the Buhari presidency is now moving around, cap in hands, looking for those to use once again; to beguile Nigerians, ahead of the 2019 elections.”
The opposition party accused the presidency of hijacking the functions of the ruling party, by appointing people into partisan offices.
“There is widespread disenchantment and indignation across the nation, resulting from hunger and the inability of the Buhari presidency to provide the people with basic necessities of life, which they had always enjoyed in the past.
“Nigerians are, therefore, waiting to see how Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, who has also openly expressed his concerns and disapprovals on the mismanagement of the economy and whose large constituents are direct victims of the ineptitude, impunity, nepotism, dictatorial tendencies, corruption and insecurity that has characterised the Buhari presidency, will now turn around to preach that all is well and attempt to sell a practically bad product to the nation.
“It is instructive to further state that the desperate move by the presidency, to politically prey on individuals, is mere foolhardiness and a totally decadent approach to pitch key leaders against the people on an issue that has already been thrown overboard.
“This is more so as the political institutions and front runners that threw up the Buhari presidency in 2015 have now, not only regretted their actions, but have also, strongly advised that president Buhari should not contemplate contesting a second term in office,” said Ologbondiyan.
The PDP added that Nigerians are presently suffering from pains inflicted on them by the APC.
Consequently, it said no amount of manipulation of individuals and public institution can make the people change their resolve to vote out the APC in 2019.
“The PDP, therefore, finds APC’s attempt to reconcile its dwindling ranks as laughable, cosmetic and politically inconsequential. It will interest the APC to know that Nigerians are already rallying with the repositioned and rebranded PDP as we are poised to present a credible, competent and reliable candidate through a free, fair and transparent presidential primary,” the opposition party said.
Meanwhile, the party has commended Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike and his Ekiti State counterpart, Ayo Fayose, for visiting Benue State and extending assistance to victims of the recent killings and other Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs)in the state.
The PDP said the gesture by the two governors, at a time the presidency and APC governors have been turning a blind eye to the sufferings of the victims, underlines PDP’s commitment to the wellbeing of all Nigerians, in line with its undying ideology and vision of its founding fathers.
Ologbondiyan added that it is disheartening that the president has refused to visit Benue state. The party recalled that when the APC governors visited Benue, “after much entreaties, they failed to show any form of empathy to the victims, a stance which further displayed APC’s disdain for Nigerians.”
“Instead of APC empathising with the people and ensuring perpetrators of the attacks are brought to book, the party leaders have shown more concern for their selfish political interests across the nation.”