National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Olisa Metuh has asked Nigerians to rise up and resist the alleged total disdain with which President Muhammadu Buhari has been treating the nation’s laws and judicial institutions before it festers.
“This extremely shocking dictatorial tendency being brazenly exhibited by the President in total disdain for our laws and judicial institutions portends great danger for our democracy and constitutionally-guaranteed rights of the people, and should be resisted by the citizens before it festers.”
Metuh reacted, through a statement he issued today, to the Presidential media chat by President Buhari, on Television and Radio stations yesterday.
Metuh said that President Buhari’s responses at the Presidential Media Chat were not only embarrassing but also further exposed his undemocratic character as an unrepentant tyrant who has no regard for the rule of law and the self-worth of Nigerian citizens.
The PDP spokesman said that the President confirmed his partisanship in the much-vaunted war against corruption by openly absolving his ministers and party members of corrupt practices.
“Whilst we restate our respect for the person and office of the President, we note that President Buhari bared his true colours to the world as an unrepentant tyrant. Today, the world is no longer in doubt as to who is behind the prevailing recklessness, abuse of rights of citizens and outright flouting of judicial pronouncements by security agencies.
“A situation where the President openly pronounced persons facing trial guilty and sanctioned their continued incarceration despite being granted bail by the courts, presents a dangerous fascist practice obtainable only in totalitarian societies like Mussolini’s Italy, Hitler’s Germany, Idi Amin’s Uganda and General Than Shwe’s Burma.
“The scorn for the principle of separation of powers, especially the independence of the legislature, is further manifested in the declared craving to regulate the funding and running of the National Assembly, a matter constitutionally vested outside the jurisdiction of the executive. We are most uncomfortable about his attempt at trying to whip up public sentiments against an independent arm of government, especially the one vested with the constitutional power of appropriation.
“Following from the foregoing, therefore, it may be necessary to suspend the application of our Constitution and allow the President to operate as maximum ruler for four years after which the nation can return to a democracy.
“On the issue of the Chibok girls, President Buhari’s embarrassing declaration of seeking information on the whereabouts and state of the girls betrays an obvious insincerity which is in total conflict with his campaign promises in that regard. Thus by this declaration, our dear President has accepted failure on this issue and should therefore apologise to Nigerians for all the insults, abuse and aspersions cast on the past administration by himself and the leadership of his political party.
“On the issue of devaluation of the naira, there is an obvious conflict between the budget speech wherein the president stated that the government is assessing the foreign exchange rate with a view to attracting foreign investments and his categorical pronouncement during the media chat that the naira would not be devalued. “We invite Nigerians to note that the president obviously does not understand the currency that applies in the devaluation of the naira (laugh out loud).
“Furthermore, Nigerians were shocked by the President’s labeling Nigerians as ‘very difficult lot’ while responding to questions on the strategy to be adopted in implementing his promised N5,000 social welfare package.
“This unhealthy portrayal of the citizens by the very father of the nation, who has remained unrelenting in de-marketing his country through unguarded statements, is indeed a great disservice to Nigeria and its international image. Consequently, we reject this negative labeling of our citizens and reiterate our confidence in them, especially the millions who remain honest, hardworking and credible.
“Finally, Nigerians must take copious note of the fact that the President gave no inspiring answers to questions pertaining to his campaign promises, the fight against insurgency and rescue of the Chibok girls, the poor state of the naira, sudden plunging of the economy under his watch, and the gradual loss of democratic rights and freedom.”
This was even as the PDP acting national chairman, Prince Uche Secondus said that President Buhari is on vengeance mission by using the anti-corruption war as a vendetta against members of PDP and associates.
He said in a statement that the President’s target is to harass and intimidate members of the opposition with his anti-corruption war.
The acting national chairman asked Nigerians in this new year to remain focused and not be despaired even as he accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) of feeding Nigerians with false propaganda and that it is not prepared for governance.
“Nigerians have watched in bewilderment as the so called change agenda of the APC has deepened the socio-economic problems in the country instead of building on the successes bequeathed to them by the PDP.”
Secondus reminded Nigerians about APC,s electioneering propaganda, which demonized the PDP and its achievements in government and even went ahead to make gargantuan promises to the Nigerian people.
“Today the APC has governed for seven months and PDP can confidently say without any fear of contradiction that the APC was not prepared for governance. The APC is just a gang-up of aggrieved people to take over the relms of power.
“To date, APC does not have a CLEAR AGENDA as to how to bring about the change they promised. As a result, Nigerians have seen the APC for all it is worth, ‘an ill prepared party with an ill prepared agenda for governance.’
“Nigerians have seen the chaotic situation at hand orchestrated by the incoherent policy initiatives of APC led government. Yes, this is the reality we face.
“From the confusion in the subsidy question to the insurgency conundrum. From the discredited anti-corruption fight to the confusion in the government’s economic policy!
“Yet the government has by its own acts of omission and commission presented itself as non-inclusive and sectional.
“Consequently, we are now faced with worsening fuel crisis; free fall of the naira; job losses; worsening insurgency; the Shiite/military clash; renewed Biafran agitation and general insecurity.
“In the middle of all this, it is clear that the APC government is pursuing a one -party state agenda considering its inordinate schemes to ‘take over’ PDP controlled states.
“To worsen this state of misgovernance, the only active policy of this government, the anti-corruption fight, is being mismanaged. The PDP supports this policy wholeheartedly because it is fundamental to our drive towards national development as a country. But it becomes counter productive if it is pursued without following the rule of law and at the same time selectively targeting members of the opposition party.
“For instance, some former PDP members who defected to the APC few months ago, some of them, former governors, who were indicted in their states, are not being investigated. Rather, they are appointed into cabinet positions.”
The PDP chairman said that Nigerians have become despondent as they asked in dismay, “IS THE APC ON A VENGEANCE MISSION?”
He however advised that Nigerians must not lose hope “as we boldly march into 2016,” saying: “we must repose our faith in God, the only one that can guide the leadership of this country to take actions that would genuinely correct past mistakes, rebuild our economy, give all Nigerians a sense of belonging and secure our country.
“Our prayer is that in 2016 Nigerians will live in peace, love and brotherhood and would be alive to their citizenship responsibility of engaging the government so that it can work for national reconciliation, reconstruction and development.
“The PDP will be at the vanguard of this movement. We are already reforming our Party in order to put us in good stead to play this role effectively.” [myad]
