PDP, APC: Buhari’s govt is a colossal failure — Secondus

By Tunde Opalana

The main opposition party, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) on Tuesday disagreed on the performance of the Buhari administration and its effect on the citizenry, Daily Times gathered.

While the PDP described the APC led government as a colossal failure and totally disappointing, the ruling party knocked the PDP for being hypocritical in condemning the federal government.

Addressing party women and youths at the PDP presidential campaign office, Legacy House, Abuja on Wednesday, the National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus said rather than facing the reality of the detrimental state of the nation, the Buhari Presidency has resulted to propaganda.

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The aggrieved members were at the party office to protest what was described as insensitivity of the Buhari government to the suffering of Nigerians with the recent hike in fuel price and electricity tariff.

Secondus castigated the APC government over unfulfilling promises and non – people oriented policies capable of aggravating the hardship of the people.

“They made several promises. Including reducing the pump price of fuel, allowing the refineries to work, they made a firmed commitment and promise to the people. They also promised that Naira will be equal to one dollar. They made all kinds of promises.

“Including creating employment for all our youths and power problem will be a thing of the past within six months.

“They made these promises in 2015 when a bag of rice was 8,000 naira. Today, a bag of rice is 35,000 naira.

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“Nigeria has become the headquarters of poverty in the world. In all ramifications, transportation, health sector, education is a colossal failure. On the issue of the security, by 2015 it was only northeast. But today, the insecurity has engulfed all sections of this country. Our people are dying, no more farmland, our people are dying of hunger, poverty, herdsmen, the crime rate has risen to the highest level.

“I want to ask Nigerians whether they have fulfilled their promises or not.? It is a colossal failure. Every responsible government must be very careful in making promises.

“Are we better off? Have they improved on the economy? The situation in Nigeria is pathetic, it has worsened. Our people are going through pain, hardships and sorrow. And this government is clueless.

In a statement by Yekini Nabena, Deputy National Publicity Secretary, the APC condemned the PDP, and Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, faulting the decision of the Buhari administration to deregulate the petroleum sector and increase electricity tariff.

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Describing the criticism as hypocritical, the statement read “the PDP and Atiku’s reaction to what has been adjudged an inevitability by many experts clearly depicts the height of hypocrisy demonstrated by them on many issues relating to the progress and wellbeing of Nigeria.

“Worrisome is the action of the PDP’s presidential flag bearer at the 2019 general elections. It’s rather unfortunate if truly, the comments reported by a section of the media, condemning the removal of petrol subsidy, is attributed to Atiku Abubakar.

“Atiku’s comments clearly reveals his two-facedness and portrays him as man not only acutely lacking in integrity but one that should never be trusted. Atiku continues to justify the majority of the Nigerian people who rejected him at the polls. This stems majorly from the fact that he was part of the government that created the “corrupt petrol subsidy” monster and also the chaos in the electricity sector.

“A further portrayal of Atiku’s hypocrisy was his pretentious promise to deregulate the downstream petroleum sector by privatizing the NNPC. Atiku made the sale of NNPC to his friends and the deregulation of both the PMS and the electricity sector the hallmark of his 2019 presidential election misadventure.

“Judging from its background as a party that instituted the very corrupt subsidy regime in the petrol sector, the PDP lacks the moral credentials to question an honest and transparent move by the Buhari-led administration to find lasting solutions to the problems caused by the party in the years that it led the affairs of the country.

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“Describing the deregulation of the price of petrol by the APC-led government as callous and cruel is rather sarcastic and tongue-in-cheek, given the pain and anguish suffered by Nigerians on long queues at petrol stations when the PDP-led government presided over a very corrupt subsidy regime”.

“It is therefore laughable that the same set of people will turn around and condemn decisions taken to fix the mess they created in the system. The PDP’s outburst indeed exposes once again its real fraudulent character and plot to patronize Nigerians and make them suffer in perpetuity by keeping a fraudulent subsidy arrangement that feeds a few individuals at the expense of the masses.

“Judging from the foregoing, the PDP, Atiku Abubakar, and comments attributed to them should not be taken seriously as they simply lack the decency required to guide Nigeria and Nigerians to the path of prosperity and progress.

“Compared to PDP’s failed past, under the President Muhammadu Buhari-led APC administration, the reviewed petroleum products pricing template has resulted in a more transparent, efficient and realistic pricing system for petroleum products and also resulted in constant availability of fuel nationwide.

“In line with the drive to deregulate the oil sector, the petroleum products pricing template now reflects competitive and market-driven components which has in turn freed up cash to fund the ongoing development of critical infrastructure across the country”.