. Nigerians groaning, angry, PDP, Atiku tell President. ‘You’ve desecrated Abiola’s legacies, you’ve weaponised poverty
…as APC tackles PDP, presidential flagbearer over comments on FG’s reforms
. Accuses ex-VP, opposition party of being ‘economical with the truth, playing politics wrongly’
Samuel Adesola, Abuja
Main opposition Peoples Democratic Party, on Tuesday, accused the ruling All Progressives Congress of imposing harsh conditions on Nigerians, saying the people are angry over the situation of the country.
PDP also accused the APC of desecrating the democratic principles, legacies and valuee the late winner of the June 12, 1993 presidential election, Chief MKO Abiola fought and died for.
The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, in a statement, charged Nigerians to use the occasion of this year’s Democracy Day to “speak against the anti-democratic tendencies of the APC which is asphyxiating, inflicting hardship, trampling on the Will and rights of the citizens and seeking to foist a totalitarian system on our nation.”
The party added, “It is distressing that our nation is observing the Democracy Day under a system that relishes in brazen violation of the Constitution, election rigging, stifling and manipulation of opposition, muzzling of dissenting voices; undermining the judicial system and other democracy institutions in desperation to turn Nigeria into a one-Party State.
“More disquieting is that all the progress and gains made by successive PDP administrations in entrenching democratic practice in Nigeria have been reversed by the APC administrations.”
PDP also noted that the recent opening of the N21 billion luxury mansion for Vice President Kashim Shettima by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, “in a country of collapsing infrastructure; with over 40% unemployment rate; where millions of citizens are literally starving; and where our schools and hospitals lack the basic operation equipment and tools is only a glimpse into the insensitivity, arrogance, impunity and reckless misdirection of resources that pervade the APC administrations.
“Our Party urges President Tinubu to use the occasion of the Democracy Day to have a deep reflection on the state of the nation under his watch, especially given the growing public agitation over hunger and high cost of living in the country.
“The PDP again reminds President Tinubu that there is destitution in the land and that the reaction of a hungry people is better imagined. Mr. President should, in keeping with democratic tenets, listen to Nigerians and review policies that are suffocating life in the country.”
The main opposition party added that democracy is about the supremacy of the Will of the people, the Rule of Law and the pursuit of the security and wellbeing of citizens, but such ideals have “been completely violated by the APC administrations which leaders have no respect for public opinion but delight in burdening the people through multiple taxes and looting of treasury to finance their luxury appetite while subjecting other Nigerians to a life of fear, uncertainty, despondency and abject poverty.
“It is saddening that instead of celebrating freedom and good governance; the very of essence of democracy which Chief MKO Abiola stood for; Nigerians are in anguish over the exploitive, ill-implemented anti-people policies and programmes of the APC which has weaponized poverty in the country.
“The increase in fuel price and hike in electricity tariff with no corresponding tangible policy or programme directed towards the welfare of the people further show the anti-people stance of the APC administrations.”
But the ruling APC, in a swift reaction, faulted former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and the PDP for blaming President Tinubu for the current economic hardship in the country.
The party insisted that reforms such as the implementation of fuel subsidy removal and floating the Naira had become imperative to save the country from total collapse.
APC National Director, Bala Ibrahim, told Punch correspondent that Atiku and the PDP are being economical with the truth, expressing disappointment with them.
According to Ibrahim, it is no secret that both President Tinubu and the late hero of democracy, Chief MKO Abiola share a lot in common in terms of ideology and democratic values.
The APC chieftain said, “With due respect, I think Atiku is being economical with the truth. He started well by praising the front runners. But he is not sincere in the sense that the government of Bola Ahmed Tinubu can be likened to the ambition of Chief MKO Abiola. This is a government that has come to actualize the ambition of Abiola.
“Virtually what the government is doing is more or less using the blueprint Abiola would have used to govern Nigeria. And it is doing so with the aim and objective of uniting Nigeria and making the country be governed according to the tenets of democracy as envisaged by Abiola.
“So for Atiku to be apportioning blame for the government of Tinubu and accusing it of visiting poverty in Nigeria, I think he is being economical. He is playing politics with the truth, which is unfair. Atiku and the PDP should carry the bulk of the blame. The ambition of PDP is the reverse of what the late MKO Abiola stands for, which is virtually an anti-people programme. Atiku is only playing politics and playing it wrongly.
“Nigerians are in safe hands, especially with the change that is supposed to bring reform in governance, economy, and institutions and get those things done overnight. It will take time. It is like a fracture or dislocation.
“It takes time to fix and while you are fixing it there are pains and anguish on the people. But at the end of the day, there is going to be ovation all the way, which is what Tinubu is going to bring to Nigeria.”
