NIDCOM Faults PDP’s Criticism of Town Hall Meeting

Michael Olugbode in Abuja

The Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM) has called on the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) to desist from running unjustified criticisms of government policies and actions.

The NIDCOM described the criticism of the PDP of its recently held Town Hall Meeting in France as a most irrelevant and absolutely unintelligent criticism.

The NIDCOM, in a statement that was issued yesterday by its Head of Media and Public Relations, Mr. Abdur-Rahman Balogun, explained that organising town hall meetings to brief Nigerian citizens abroad on the activities of the government back home is part of the commission’s mandate, which it is duly carrying out.

The statement said that President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration has bequeathed Nigeria with a diaspora’s commission and a holistic diaspora’s policy, which is the first of its kind in Africa to harness the enormous potentials of the millions of Nigerians excelling abroad in all spheres of life.

The NIDCOM told the PDP that it is bad taste to criticise and politicise every activity of Buhari.

It alleged that “they first attempted to ridicule Buhari by saying the event in France had been cancelled.

It further alleged that the opposition, which later realised its folly, went as far as saying that Buhari met with only government’s officials and not members of the Nigerian community.

It said: “Now, PDP is singing another tune, trying to down play the highly successful trip of Buhari to France.

“The NIDCOM sees the unwarranted statement by the PDP on Buhari’s visit to France as ridiculous, ignorant, pedestrian and laughable.

“Town hall meetings are being held in the six geo-political zones regularly in the country by various arms of government at all levels to brief the citizens on the activities of the government.”

Balogun, therefore, advised those in opposition parties, particularly the PDP, to criticise constructively based on facts and not to play to the gallery on every matter.

“We were expecting the PDP, through its spokesman, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan, who issued the statement to actually commend this administration because it has regularly interfaced with Nigerians in the Diaspora since its inception in 2015.”