APC Challenges PDP To Tell Nigerians How Much NSA Dasuki Paid Chatham House To Speak

March 3, 2015

All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Organization has challenged the PDP government to tell Nigerians how much the National Security Adviser (NSA), Colonel Sambo Dasuki paid the Chatham House in London to deliver his speech in which he proposed election postponement.
Reacting to PDP allegations that APC bribed Chatham House to enable its presidential candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari speak, the APC Campaign organisation said that the Jonathan administration has taken propaganda to a ridiculous level of childishness, triviality and banality.
The APC Campaign’s Director of Media and Publicity Garba Shehu, said in a statement that any suggestion by the PDP that the APC had bribed Chatham House to get its presidential candidate speak was a reflection of the confusion, which attends a ruling party that has not only run out of ideas, but also out of popular goodwill.
According to Garba Shehu, any shamelessly corrupt government like the PDP always assume that everyone else, anywhere, is corrupt, adding that anyone that could imagine that Chatham House could compromise its prestige and integrity and allow itself to be financially induced by any party or politician does not understand how institutions operate in the U.K. and elsewhere in Western democracies.
“The psyche of the PDP administrations is so much invaded and infected by corruption that it judges the rest of the world by its own low moral standards.”
He said that by making unsubstantiated allegations of bribery against Chatham House, the PDP campaign has confirmed that lying is a way of life in the Jonathan administration, adding that nobody would take them seriously on this basis.
This is even as Garba Shehu accused the Jonathan-led PDP administration of using the opposing party as a whipping boy to divert attention from its woeful failures and broken promises, adding that APC was bemused by the allegations by the PDP National Chairman, Alhaji Adamu Mu’azu, that the opposition is behind the current biting fuel scarcity in the country.
Garba Shehu said that any ruling party that could lie through its teeth in order to mislead Nigerians automatically lacks the credibility to seek re-election.
He said that the marketers accused the PDP government of owing them N250 billion fuel subsidy, and because they have run out of line of credit, they have no choice but to stop the importation of fuel.
In addition, he said, the marketers also blamed currency devaluation, which they said, made importation unprofitable.
He said the APC is not in power and could not have been responsible for the current hardships facing Nigerians; including declining living standards, erratic power supply, biting fuel scarcity, poverty, unemployment and other harsh conditions imposed on Nigerians by Jonathan’s notoriously incompetent government.
Garba Shehu said that rather than looking for someone to blame, Jonathan must find an urgent solution to the current biting fuel scarcity, which he said is complicating the existing hardships of the ordinary Nigerians.
He made it clear that the consequences of incompetence is a driver of change, which he said is the main reasons Nigerians are eagerly looking forward to March 28 to see the back of the ruling PDP. [myad]

PDP, APC May Shift Political Battle To Court, Even As Tinubu Threatens AIT With N20 Billion For Alleged Libel

Greenbarge Reporters

March 3, 2015

The political cross-firing between the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) is getting dirtier as the two are now threatening each other with court case, even as the former Lagos governor, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu demanded apology and N20 Billion from the African Independent Television (AIT) or face libel suit.
The director of APC Presidential campaign organisation, Garba Shehu had asked his counterpart in PDP, Femi Fani-Kayode to produce evidence on their purported claims that the APC Presidential running-mate, Professor Yemi Osinbajo entered into a pact with APC National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to resign as vice president after the APC presidential candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari. Garba Shehu wanted PDP and Fani-Kayode to provide evidence of the oath-taking and resignation of Professor Osinbajo for Asiwaju Tinubu or retract the libelous claims within 72 hours or be ready to be sued to court.
He said: ‘For the PDP, through Fani-Kayode, to state publicly that an erudite professor of law, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and a reputable pastor of the Redeemed Christian Church of God swore to an oath to vacate his seat as the vice president for Asiwaju Tinubu, should the party win the forthcoming election, is an attack on the hard-won integrity and the reputations of these great Nigerians and APC stalwarts.
Garba Shehu said that he viewed the allegation “as both slanderous and libelous and, therefore, will not leave the matter to chance. To this effect, we hereby give Fani-Kayode and the PDP 72 hours to produce evidence or in the alternative issue public apology to Pastor Osinbajo, Asiwaju Tinubu and our party, the APC, or be prepared to be charged to the court of law.”
However, Fani-Kayode’s lawyers wrote to both the National Publicity secretary, Lai Mohammed and APC saying: “our Client denies in its entirety the contents of the above publication and innuendoes therein, and further states that every allegation against him in the said publication is false and defamatory of his person and character.
“Consequently, we demand that you withdraw the said statement and render an apology to our Client within Seven (7) days of the receipt of this letter. You are also to enter into negotiation for damages as we have firm instructions to claim Five Billion Naira damages against you. TAKE NOTICE therefore, that it will amount to a specious gamble on your part, if you treat this letter with levity.”
Fani-Kayode also referred to Lai Mohammed’s statement which was titled: “We’re concerned about Fani-Kayode’s mental status” and the innuendoes contained in it, published on Tuesday, the 3rd day of March, 2015 on page 6 of Nation Newspaper.
He said every allegation against him in the said publication was false and defamatory of his person and character.
In a three-page letter by his lawyers, Ahmed Raji and Company, dated March 3, 2015, Fani-Kayode is demanding, in addition to retraction of the said statement, an apology to him within seven days of the receipt of his letter by Lai Mohammed.
According to the letter signed by Whyteman Prekunomaa, “You (Lai Mohammed) are also to enter into negotiation for damages as we have firm instructions to claim five billion naira damages against you.”
“Take notice, therefore, that it will amount to a specious gamble on your part, if you treat this letter with levity,” Fani-Kayode’s lawyers advised Lai Mohammed.
This is even as the former Lagos governor, Bola Tinubu threatened to sue the management of the Daar Communications Limited, owners of the Africa Independent Television, AIT for the defamatory content of a documentary aired on Sunday.
Counsel to Asiwaju Tinubu, Mr. Tunji Abayomi, said a letter asking Daar Communications to apologise for the content and stop further airing was delivered this afternoon.
A part of the letter to AIT reads, ” … You aired an hour long documentary focussing on our client (Bola Tinubu). Clearly pre-occupied with political resentment and hatred neither warranted, necessary, proper, or justified, you published several false allegations against our client…More disturbing is your misrepresentation that the said documentary was “sponsored” without disclosing the “sponsors.”
“You cannot under law, hide under media freedom to maliciously injure a citizen’s reputation.”
The letter also demanded for N20 billion (Twenty Billion Naira) as cost of damage done to the reputation of its client failing which the client will sue the company.
Another part of the letter reads: “…to affirm the right of our client against your defamatory publication, we demand that you confirm to us within 24 hours of receipt of this letter, an apology and retraction of the said publication/documentar. [myad]

Nigeria Policemen Threaten Nation-wide Strike On Election Day, March 28

Greenbarge Reporters

March 3, 2015

Nigeria Policemen and women who said that they are being owed promotion arrears have threatened to embark on an indefinite nation-wide strike on March 28, 2015, the day the Presidential election is scheduled to hold.
The aggrieved policemen said that the strike is deliberate to press home their demand and convince the police authorities that they are serious about their threat to down tool.
The police personnel said that over 100 of their colleagues retired in 2014 without being paid the promotion arrears and other benefits, adding that the payment had been pending for over two years.
The officers who spoke expressed fears that their benefits may not be paid as promised by the Inspector-General of Police, Suleiman Abba.
The officers faulted the statement credited to the IG that the police could not pay duty tour allowances and other benefits because of the shortfall in allocation to the Force by the Federal Government.
Abba had said in a document on the 2015 Budget Defence presented to the Senate Committee on Police Affairs last week that the 2014 police budget which suffered a shortfall of N6,464673,537 made it impossible to successfully conclude the payment of personnel emolument in 2014.
The policemen said that those that were being owed numbered about 15,000 and that from the information available to them, nothing is being done by the police authorities to address their grievance.
“The only way we could make the IG pay us our salary arrears and other benefits is to embark on strike on Election Day when the nation would need us the most. Otherwise, the issue would be swept under the carpet, like others.
“Over 100 policemen have retired without being paid the arrears and some of us would retire this month or next. This means that we may not get the money before leaving service.”
The Force Public Relations Officer, Emmanuel Ojukwu, had earlier assured that the aggrieved policemen would be paid as soon as the Force received money from the Federal Government.
“We are working hard to pay the men and I can assure you that they would be paid once the government pays us; we are waiting for the government to pay us, so we can pay them. The welfare of officers and men of the Force is of paramount importance to the IG and he would do everything necessary to ensure their welfare.” [myad]

NGO Drags Okonjo-Iweala To Court Over Alleged Missing N30 Trillion

Greenbarge Reporters

March 3, 2015

A civil society group, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has dragged the Minister of Finance, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, to court over “failure to provide information about spending of the alleged missing N30 trillion, which represents some accruable income to the Federal Government in the past four years.”
The suit, filed at the Federal High Court, Ikoyi, followed a Freedom of Information request by SERAP to Mrs Okonjo-Iweala dated February 2. The originating summon, with suit number FHC/L/CS/196/2015, was filed on behalf of the organization by Senior Staff Attorney, Olukayode Majekodunmi.
SERAP’s suit followed disclosure by the former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Professor Chukwuma Soludo that over N30 trillion had been missing, or stolen, or unaccounted for, or simply mismanaged under the minister’s watch.
In the suit, SERAP argued that “a necessary implication of the rule of law is that a public functionary and institution can only act in accordance with the law, as to do otherwise may enthrone arbitrariness. Obedience to the rule of law by all citizens but more particularly those who publicly took oath of office to protect and preserve the constitution is a desideratum to good governance. In a democratic society, this is meant to be a norm; it is an apostasy for public official like the Minister of Finance to ignore the provisions of the law.”
SERAP also argued that Mrs Okonjo-Iweala “As trustee of public funds has a legal duty to render account on the missing N30tn to the beneficiaries (Nigerians) of the trust, if and when called upon to do so.”
The organisation also argued that Okonjo-Iweala “has so far failed, refused and/or neglected to provide the Plaintiff with the details of the information requested. By virtue of Section 1(1) of the FOI Act 2011, the Plaintiff is entitled as of right to request for or gain access to information which is in the custody or possession of any public official, agency or institution. By the provisions of Section 2(7) and 31 of the FOI Act 2011, the Defendant is a public official.
“By virtue of Section 4 (a) of the FOI Act when a person makes a request for information from a public official, institution or agency, the public official, institution or urgency to whom the application is directed is under a binding legal obligation to provide the applicant with the information requested for, except as otherwise provided by the Act, within 7 days after the application is received. By Sections 2(3)(d)(V) & (4) of the FOI Act, there is a binding legal duty to ensure that documents containing information relating to spending of the alleged missing N30tn is widely disseminated and made readily available to members of the public through various means,” the organization also said.
According to the organization: “The information requested for, apart from not being exempted from disclosure under the FOI Act, bothers on an issue of national interest, public peace and security, public concern, social justice, good governance, transparency and accountability. The Defendant will not suffer any injury or prejudice if the information is released to the Plaintiff.”
The organization also argued that, “Unless the reliefs sought herein are granted, the Defendant will continue to be in breach of the Freedom of Information Act, and other statutory responsibilities. It is in the interest of justice to grant this application as the Defendant have nothing to lose if the application is granted.”
“As a key agency of government, the Ministry of Finance has a sacred duty to ensure that the country’s resources and wealth is used solely to fulfil the basic economic and social rights of all Nigerians and achieve the country’s overall socio-economic development. This implies providing strong leadership in the efforts to curb public sector corruption, and to refer to appropriate anticorruption agencies any allegations of corruption in which any agencies of government may be involved or officials of your Ministry may be complicit,” the organization also argued.
“Therefore, it is necessary to provide clarity as to what exactly happened to the missing N30tn if the Ministry of Finance is to continue to play a leadership role in the transparent and accountable management of the country’s resources and wealth, and to enjoy the public trust and confidence essential for the Ministry’s effectiveness and impact,” the organization further stated.
The organization is also seeking “a declaration that by virtue of the provisions of Section 4 (a) of the Freedom of Information Act 2011, the Defendant is under a binding legal obligation to provide the Plaintiff with up to date information relating to the spending of the alleged missing N30tn, which represents some accruable income to the Federal Government in the past four years including: a) any receipt, however described, arising from the operation of any law; b) any return, however described, arising from or in respect of any property held by the Government of the Federation; c) any return by way of interest on loans and dividends in respect of shares or interest held by the Government of the Federation in any company or statutory body.” [myad]

Jonathan Insists Petty Stealing Is Not Corruption, Says Corruption Is Blown Out Of Proportion

Greenbarge Reporters

March 3, 2015

President Goodluck Jonathan has insisted that most of what are perceived to be corruption in Nigeria are mere cases of petty stealing by government officials.
The President who had in one of his media chats said that stealing “was not the same thing as corruption” said that there has been no evidence to show that the government funds that have been declared missing were actually stolen, saying that it was just that such funds were not properly balanced.
President Goodluck Jonathan who spoke in an interview with Aljazera last night said that the perception that Nigeria’s corruption has worsened under his leadership is an overblown assessment with political undertones.
According to him, despite the country’s position in the global corruption perception index, the perception that corruption has worsened under his administration is inaccurate.
President Jonathan insisted that even with Nigeria’s dismal anti-corruption record, both globally and in Africa, its perception both within and outside the country was blown out of proportion for political gains.
“Yes, people talk about corruption now, because it has become a political issue. And when you promote something to the level of politics, normally it is blown out of proportion.
“Yes, we have corruption cases, no doubt about that. Yes, we have cases of people stealing, no doubt about that. I always said call a thief a thief. I am not saying that in Nigeria we do not have these elements of corruption, or stealing.”
President Jonathan referred to the controversy triggered by the former Central Bank of Nigeria governor, Lamido Sanusi’s claim that $49.8 billion oil money was unremitted by state-owned national oil company, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, between 2011 and 2012.
He said that after various reconciliations by both the National Assembly, the Federal Ministry of Finance and the NNPC, the amount that remained unaccounted for was reduced to $20billion, even as a forensic audit by PriceWater HouseCoopers ordered by government turned in a report in 2014 that government has refused to make public.
The President said he was yet to come to terms with what the real figures involved in the allegation were, adding: “if you start from my former CBN governor, who said initially that $49.8billion was missing. $49.8billion is a lot of money.
“What is the budget of this country for God’s sake? Our federal budget has been three point something trillion, that’s roughly on the average $18 to $20 billion a year.
“And you are saying we lost $49.8 billion. If we lose $49.8 billion, the federal and state governments will not pay salaries. I don’t know how he came by that figure.
“The next moment, he changed from $49.8billion to $12billion. The next day it was $20 billion. Up to this time, I don’t know which is the correct accusation,” he claimed.”
According to the President, the Senate employed the services of financial consultants to probe the allegation, and it turned out that only about $2 billion was found not to have been properly balanced.”
In 2014, Transparency International ranked Nigeria was ranked 136th out of 175 countries and territories, with a score of 27.
According to TI, a country or territory’s score indicate the perceived level of public sector corruption on a scale of 0 (highly corrupt) to 100 (very clean).
The latest ranking, though better than its ranking of 144thout of 177 countries and territories, with a score of 25, recorded the previous year, still categorised Nigeria among some of the world’s most corrupt countries, including Cameroun, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon and Russia.
South Africa, ranked the second largest economy in Africa, fared far better, with a ranking of 67 and a score of 44.
Also, the Thabo Mbeki High Level Panel report on Illicit Financial Flows from Africa noted during the recent summit of the African Union Heads of State and Government in Addis Ababa that Nigeria accounted for about 68.1 per cent of the cumulative revenue Africa lost between 2001 and 2010 through corruption and illegal transfers. [myad]

House Of Reps Alleges That President Jonathan Aided Budget Fraud, Says Government Offices Spend N16 Trillion Yearly

Greenbarge Reporters

March 3, 2015

The House of Representatives said that it has uncovered what may turn out Nigeria’s biggest fraud yet, accusing the Jonathan administration of spending N16 trillion on its super offices yearly, while the entire country is given a meagre budget of about N4 trillion.
This was contained in the House Public Accounts Committee which noted that while the Nigerian government complains of revenue for key projects, the same government has allowed dozens of powerful offices, graded as “statutory and extra-ministerial departments” to spend a minimum of N16 trillion yearly.
The amount spent by the offices are not regulated, audited or appropriated by the National Assembly. The report said that much of the figure are generated by the respective offices and are deployed at the whims of their chief executives.
“Such statutory offices include the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, Central Bank of Nigeria, National Communications Commission, Federal Inland Revenue Services, and Nigerian Ports Authority.
“The revelation came as part of an ongoing examination of finances of government and its 601 agencies.”
The committee, which spoke through its chairman, Adeola Solomon-Olamilekan, said when combined with Nigeria’s official annual expenditure, the country spends over N20 trillion yearly.
Solomon-Olamilekan said the N4.3 trillion budget for 2015, amid an oil crisis, is a “far cry” which does not include the finances of “statutory and extra ministerial departments” which have been running “about N16 trillion” without public auditing.
“The N4.9tn, N4.6tn or N4.3tn, as the case may be, is the budget that the whole Nigerians are listening to but in the true sense of it, the budget of other statutory and extra-ministerial departments put together is about N16tn.
“So, the total overall budget year in year out is over N20tn, which the executive arm operates, but nobody is asking questions as to the implementation of all these budgets.
“Nobody is bringing information on the implementation of all these budgets; and this is one area Nigerians need to start asking questions in order to move this country forward.”‎
The House committee said the federal government has encouraged the fraud to continue by deliberately refusing to fund the office of the Auditor General of the Federation, to weaken its capacity to check the violation.
The committee said by reducing the budget of office of Auditor General from N1.9‎ billion to N100 million in 2015, the government deliberately ensured the office no longer had the capacity to audit 601 departments and 144 foreign missions.
The big cut was carried out by the Ministry of Finance, citing falling oil revenues.
“How can we imagine that the capital budget of the office of AGF for the year 2015 was reduced from N1.9bn to N100?
“Can you also imagine an office of the AGF that has 144 foreign missions to audit and as we speak, between 1999 to date, that office has not audited up to 30 of these foreign missions while three quarter of these foreign missions are also revenue generating agencies?
“So, there is nobody to audit the revenue generated and the expenditure they incur.
“The office of the AGF has been short-changed and the budget has been reduced to nothing. As such, the government of the day is having a field day to carry out whatever its wants to do because they know they have an office that is not functioning,”‎ Solomon-Olamilekan said. [myad]

Buhari, Atiku Condole With Nduka Obaigbena Over Death Of His Brother

Greenbarge Reporters

March 3, 2015

Presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), General Muhammadu Buhari and the Former Nigerian Vice President, Atiku Abubakar have commiserated with the publisher of the THISDAY Newspapers, Mr. Nduka Obaigbena over the death of Rotimi Azubuike Obaigbena, his brother in the United States of America on Sunday.
In a separate statements signed by the Director of Media and Publicity of the APC Presidential Campaign Organization, Garba Shehu, the two leaders noted that the late Obaigbena died at the time the country is looking up to the services of Nigerians in Diaspora to develop the country.
Buhari said: “The demise of Rotimi Azubuike Obaigbena is an unpleasant development at this point when our country is looking up to the services of young Nigerians who have made remarkable landmarks in their fields of endeavour.
“In the past few days I have met with a good number of Nigerians outside the country and I most sincerely commend their high sense of patriotism and zeal to contribute to the overall development of the country.
“I know that the demise of this gentleman is a huge loss to the community of Nigerians outside the country, but it is bigger lose to Nigeria and the Obaigbena family and will be greatly missed.”
Atiku, on his own, described the deceased as “a very hardworking Nigerian who has made an indelible mark in his chosen profession.”
He also prayed for the family and friends of the deceased to have the fortitude to bear the loss. [myad]

Governor Uduaghan Commissions 64 Roads In Asaba

Greenbarge Reporters

March 3, 2015

Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta state has commissioned sixty four road projects in Asaba assuring the people of the state that more projects would be commissioned before the end of his tenure.
Speaking during the commissioning today, Governor Uduaghan expressed satisfaction that his administration has executed such projects in Asaba, describing that Asaba as the symbol of unity of Delta State.
According to him, the projects would encourage investors to do business in the state, saying: “when I came into government, I told myself and the people of Delta State, that Asaba has come to stay as a state capital and so we must make it a befitting state capital.
“We have to live in unity as a state. We must take it as a responsibility to develop the state capital. We have a befitting Government House, the gains you get from a befitting Government House you cannot imagine it; visitors who see the Government House will be ready to do business with us and invest in other parts of the state.
“These are not glamorous projects. They are needed for the development of a befitting state capital. The location of Asaba is very strategic in the Delta Beyond Oil initiative. We will take advantage of its closeness to Onitsha market and make Asaba another economic hub.”
Dr. Uduaghan assured Deltans that the Asaba Specialist Hospital which has been remodelled and restructured when completed would be one of the best equipped hospitals in the country, adding that the fly-over projects in Asaba and Warri would be commissioned in the next few weeks.
Commissioner for Works, Mr. Funkekeme Solomon in an address, said: “over N487 billion has been committed to civil engineering infrastructural development across the state in various spheres.
“733 roads, 25 bridges, two flyovers and two airport development in Asaba and Warri have been embarked upon and to date, over N270 billion has been expended.”
The Asagba of Asaba, Professor Chike Edozien who spoke through the Iyase of Asaba, Chief Patrick Onyeobi thanked Dr. Uduaghan for his efforts even as the Chairman of Oshmili South local government council, Pastor Chuks Obusom said: “these projects will make life better for the people of Oshimili South local government and the people of Delta State.” [myad]

Governor Uduaghan Begs Christian Pilgrims To Pray For Peaceful Elections

Greenbarge Reporters

March 3, 2015

‎
Delta State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan has asked Nigerian Christian pilgrims to Israel to, while performing the pilgrimage, pray for Nigeria to have peaceful general elections coming up on March 28 and April 11 respectively.

Governor Uduaghan who made the appeal when he flagged-off the Delta State pilgrims to Israel in Asaba, also asked the pilgrims to pray for sustained victory of the military over Boko Haram.
“Pray for peaceful co-existence, pray for peaceful elections, pray with your voters cards at one of the sites and God will give us peaceful elections.”
The Governor made it clear that Nigeria country needs all the prayers in the face of the challenges surrounding the general elections even as he stressed the need for prayer for the military men and women who are at the battle fronts against Boko Haram for God to sustain and grant them permanent victory.
He spoke of the spiritual essence of the pilgrimage to Israel, saying: “pilgrimage is usually very fulfilling as it afford them the opportunity to be closer to their creator.”
The Governor said that the blessings that come to the state through pilgrimage can not be quantified and asked the pilgrims to pray for his administration to finish strong and finish well. He noted that the few months remaining for his administration could be challenging.
Dr. Uduaghan who advised the pilgrims to be of good conduct, scored the state high in terms of its indigenes not absconding during pilgrimages which he attributed to a rigorous exercise by the Pilgrims Board.
He reiterated that the pilgrimage to Israel was not for tourism but for spiritual exercise and requested that the pilgrims should be conscious of the purpose of visiting Israel
“This year we have 1,170 pilgrims that are going on pilgrimage.”
Earlier, the Commissioner, Bureau for Special Duties, Barrister Powell Ojogho expressed gratitude to Governor Uduaghan for encouraging Deltans to go for the annual pilgrimage, adding that the pilgrims are aware of their mission to Israel.
Pastor Chika Akwebue who spoke on behalf of the one hundred and ninety pilgrims who made up the first batch of the pilgrims, also, thanked Governor Uduaghan’s administration for his interest in encouraging pilgrims to the holy land. [myad]

APC Accuses Presidency, PDP Of Shifting Blame On Fuel Scarcity

Greenbarge Reporters

March 2, 2015

All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Organisation accused the President Goodluck Jonathan led PDP government as a badly scripted jaded comedy of blame-game which engages in what it called ludicrous holding others but themselves accountable for every mess of their administration a comic pastime.

In a statement by the director of media and publicity for the APC Presidential campaign organization, Garba Shehu said that it is laughable for the PDP and its government to point accusing fingers at the APC for the current fuel scarcity when they were full aware that it was only a matter of time before the politically-motivated stop-gap policies they had put in place would come haunting them.

Garba Shehu said that the latest tirade from the PDP offers the clearest indication of the incompetence of the Jonathan government for which Nigerians are ready to vote them out on March 28.

“To say the least we at the APCPCO see this latest antic of the PDP and its government as a comic relief for which discerning Nigerians are not amused at all. It has become the signature tune of the PDP and its government to blame the APC and its presidential candidate and party stalwarts for every mess they have made of the lives of Nigerians in virtually every facet.

“With the latest cry-baby antic Nigerians can now see the PDP and its government for what they truly are: incompetent and clueless. What else are they going to accuse the APC and its presidential candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari of?

“Will they accuse Buhari and APC of being behind the erratic power supply for which manufacturers are threatening to shut down their plants and for which jobs have already been lost? May be the PDP and President Jonathan will also accuse the APC and Buhari of causing the pervasive poverty and unemployment in the country? Or they will accuse them of having caused the mismanagement of security by this government; of being responsible for the free fall of the price of crude of oil and the exchange rate? Don’t be surprised if tomorrow the PDP and the Jonathan government hold the APC, General Buhari and the stalwarts of the opposition party responsible for the inability of the chickens in Aso Rock Villa to lay eggs!

Garba Shehu advised the PDP and Jonathan government to own up to their incompetence, apologise to Nigerians over their failed leadership and pave the way for Nigerians to get the change they desire by conducting a credible, free and fair elections on March 28 and April 11. [myad]

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