PDP Mocks President over ‘Flopped’ North Central Rally

PDP Mocks President over ‘Flopped’ North Central Rally

Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja

The Peoples Democratic Party Presidential Campaign Organisation (PPCO) has said the scanty attendance at President Muhammadu Buhari’s campaign rally wednnesday in Lokoja, the Kogi State capital, was an indication that Nigerians are not ready to return him into office for a second term.

This came as the campaign organisation has assured that its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, would launch a comprehensive National Anti-Corruption Strategy within his first 100 days to ensure nobody is spared.

The spokesman of the main opposition party, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan has also called on the National Peace Committee to immediately sanction the National Chairman of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole, for his hate comments on the party and PDP leaders at the Kogi State rally.

The PPCO stated that Oshiomhole had out of frustration, resorted to name-calling, abuses and hate comments against Atiku and other respected Nigerian leaders, in a failed bid to cover for their failures in office.

He added that Oshiomole is so over-burdened by allegations of corruption and stealing both, as governor of Edo State and APC National Chairman, that he believes that accusing others and casting aspersions at the PDP would help him.

According to him, “It is instructive for President Buhari to note how poorly Nigerians responded to his campaign flag-off in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, as well as his zonal rallies, where his rented attendees even refused to wave the APC brooms and paid no attention to him whenever he mounted the stage to speak.”

Ologbondiyan stressed that at the Lokoja rally yesterday, Buhari spent less than four minutes in making a ‘’vacuous address’’, issued warning to Nigerians, and had to beat a hurried conclusion, when he realised that nobody was paying attention.

He said, “President Buhari however, betrayed his unsettled emotions when he told his audience that he was sworn into office on May 19, 2015, instead of May 29, 2015, saying it was a pointer to the level of incompetence with which the nation’s affairs has been handled.”

The PDP asked Buhari to end his playing to the gallery on the fight against corruption and get serious by prosecuting members of his Campaign Council, who all have allegations of corruption hanging on their names.

“The PPCO reminded Oshiomhole that he had to flee the country last year to avoid being arrested by the Department of State Services (DSS) over allegations of corruption and had to return after allegedly striking a deal with agents of the Buhari’s presidency for protection.”

The campaign organisation assured that its presidential candidate would launch a comprehensive National Anti-Corruption Strategy within his first 100 days that will ensure no body is spared.

It said that the strategy would be based on separation of powers, neutrality and non-partisanship.

Ologbondiyan stressed that if Atiku is elected, it would no longer be ‘business as usual’ as his templates would directly restore the independence of all anti-corruption institutions, as well as block all loopholes through which public funds can be siphoned.

Ologbondiyan said, “Within Atiku’s first 100 days in office, decisive steps would be taken to ensure that all legislative instruments relating to whistle blower, witness protection, electronic evidence, and Cybercrime and assets forfeiture will be expeditiously passed, and that clauses that shield corruption in high places, will be eliminated.

“This will be a clear departure from President Muhammadu Buhari’s bogus anti-corruption fight, which serves only as a smokescreen for his cronies and relations to fritter trillions of naira from the public treasury, while hounding opposition members with trumped-up corruption charges.’’

Ologbondiyan said the presidency has failed to secure any conviction in the fight against corruption because it is shielding corrupt persons, particularly close relations of the president and indicted APC leaders, while Nigerians suffer hardship because of their atrocities.

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