Chuks Okocha in Abuja
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) said the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) was running away from campaigning with the supposed achievements of President Muhammadu Buhari because his administration had plunged Nigerians into deeper hunger and poverty.
One of the spokespersons of the campaign, Mr Charles Aniagwu, said APC had destroyed virtually all the building blocks of national development erected by PDP prior to 2015, when the party took over the reins of governance.
In a statement yesterday, Aniagwu said the APC presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu, and his handlers were always referring to Lagos in their campaigns, because the party had failed Nigerians on their campaign promises.
He lampooned APC for using Lagos as benchmark for their campaign, adding that even Lagos is not functioning well for the citizens.
The statement said, “The PDP 16 years record is attractive enough to run on because things were much better in 2015 than they are now and you could see that those contesting on the platform of the ruling party, APC, are so scared of mentioning their achievements. Each time they talk, they take you to Lagos, a Lagos that is not even functioning well, in the first place.
“But on the basis of what we did even in the first 16 years, we don’t have to run away from it and I can tell you that we liberalised the telecoms sector, pension reforms, banking consolidation, and setting up a number of institutions to fight corruption, EFCC, ICPC, Due Process Office, and many more.
“In that 16 years, we ensured that Nigerians were united but in the last seven years under the APC, those things that put us together have been so bastardised. We are very proud of running on our records and Atiku Abubakar and his running mate, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, have seen the many challenges bedevilling the country and they have mapped out strategies to reposition the country to function effectively.
“Those who asked for change in 2015, have seen that the change they asked for did not yield the dividends of democracy they so desired and I can assure you that Atiku-Okowa will make a difference.”
The PDP presidential campaign spokesman further took a swipe on the APC for holding a campaign rally on a Sunday morning, describing the move as insensitive.
He stated, “I watched with dismay how the APC organised a campaign rally on a Sunday morning in this country, when people are supposed to be worshipping God, they were very busy in Lagos blocking everybody in the name of rally. That was insensitive and it simply tells you clearly that they don’t understand the sensibilities of this country.
“Just imagine like a man, who wakes up on a Friday afternoon and decides to organise a rally in a place, where people are supposed to pass to the mosque to pray not only for their well-being but for the good of our country.
“It tells you that the fears of most Nigerians in respect to their inability to understand the diversity of this country, especially, their decision on same faith ticket is real. If they understand, they will not make that kind of mistake on a Sunday morning.”
He stated that the PDP would continue to speak to the Nigerian people on the issues plaguing the country and how it intended to provide solutions to them.
According to Aniagwu said. , “What we have come here to do in Uyo is to have an interface with our people, and before the campaign, there was a meeting of leaders of the South-south zone, where they spoke frankly to one another on the challenges facing the party and the country.
“Whatever decision reached here to get the country out of its quagmire is a decision based on consensus-building among the different political zones in our country.
“What we have done in Uyo and the crowd you saw there is a clear testament to the fact that PDP has moved beyond testing the microphone to raising the sound a notch higher for Nigerians to get clear signals of the solutions we are offering.
“The crowd is organic and it shows that we have got the supporters across the country and we have said that we needed to tell Nigerians what we are bringing on board to rescue the country.
“The campaign flag-off is another first by the PDP and it is clear that going by the INEC guidelines only PDP is meeting up with the timetable and it is an indication that is the only party that is very much prepared for the challenges ahead.
“All the other political parties are still thinking of what to do, when the PDP has continued to make significant progress and Nigerians will continue to gravitate towards the PDP, because they understand that it is the only party that has what it takes to rescue, restore and rebuild Nigeria.”
