PDP Leaders Express Concerns over State of the Nation

PDP Leaders Express Concerns over State of the Nation
  •   Allege plot to clamp down on Obi, other party leaders   

Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja

The leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have expressed concern over the scary instability of the nation due to the alleged abuse of power, manipulations of institutions of government, and  the vindictive tendencies of All Progressives Congress (APC)-led administration.

The leaders of the main opposition party have also decried the efforts by the APC to intimidate, annex and manipulate the judiciary, especially on election matters, as well as allegations of widespread corruption and official high handedness of the Buhari-led administration.

The party leaders were also said to have expressed fears that all the PDP matters that will end at the Court of Appeal might not get justice as a result of alleged partisanship of the President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa.

The PDP had demanded that Bulkachuwa recuse herself from the Presidential Election Appeals Panel on account of alleged partisanship and bias in her statement that no matter how well election is conducted, there are bound to be complaints.

However, the critical stakeholders of the main opposition party were said to have met in Maitama, Abuja, at the weekend, to review the state of the nation, especially the unabated killings, bloodletting and kidnapping in the country.

The party leaders at the meeting also frowned at the attempt to cause crisis in Kano by the ill-advised fragmentation of the Kano Emirate, and the renewed clamp down on opposition leaders.

The opposition leaders expressed grave concern over the recent moves to fragmentise the Kano Emirate and whittle down the influence of the Emir of Kano, without being sensitive to the reality of the crisis such can cause in the Kano Emirate.

The stakeholders also accused certain individuals at the Presidential Villa of being behind the splitting of the Kano Emirate.

They expressed fears that such might extend to the Sokoto Caliphate if they are allowed to manipulate the Court processes against the victory of Governor Aminu Tambuwal.

A reliable source privy to the meeting told THISDAY that the opposition leaders decried what they described as the ‘vindictive’ actions of the APC administration, including fears of plots to clamp down on PDP’s vice presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, and other PDP leaders, as well as the alleged personal vendetta mission against the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki by the acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Ibrahim Magu.

The PDP leaders were said to have frowned at allegations that Magu, is bent on dealing with  Saraki over the refusal by the Senate to confirm him as substantive Chairman of the EFCC.

It was also gathered that the opposition leaders expressed worry over an alleged plot by the EFCC to clamp down on officials of Rivers State Government, despite the order of the High Court restraining it from doing so.

“As a patriotic party, committed to the stability of our nation, our leaders have been concerned about the anguish Nigerians are passing through as a result of the escalated insecurity in our country; the unabated killings and kidnappings in Zamfara, Borno, Kaduna, Taraba, Yobe, Adamawa, Kogi, Plateau, Gombe states, as well as Abuja and other states of the federation.

“All these are happening because we have an incompetent administration that attaches no value for the wellbeing of our citizens; we have an insensitive administration that has failed to move beyond lip service and effectively tackling the security situation in the country,” one the PDP leaders privy to the meeting told THISDAY.

“Our leaders are particularly worried over speculations that certain elements at the presidency and the Kano State government are behind the plans to balkanize the Kano Emirate and strip the sitting Emir of his influence and powers, as punishment for allegedly not supporting the APC in the general elections. Such is not the way to go in a country that is already facing security issues,” the source added.

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