*Says ruling party plotting one party state
*Catholic bishops seek urgent action to arrest increasing hardship
Chuks Okocha and Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja
The Board of Trustees (BoT) of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has bemoaned the widespread despondency across the country and, particularly, decried the rising poverty and insecurity, as well as the declining rate of the naira.
PDP said the lives of Nigerians and their livelihoods were gradually being wasted and destroyed on account of the rising insecurity. It accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of gradually turning Nigeria into a one party state.
In a similar vein, Catholic bishops in Nigeria asked the federal and state governments to take immediate steps to check growing poverty and suffering in the land.
A communiqué at the opposition party’s BoT meeting, read by the chairman, former Senate President, Adolphus Wabara, said, “The BoT expresses serious concerns over the excruciating hardship, worsening insecurity, and general sense of apprehension and despondency across the country occasioned by the hasty implementation of ill-planned policies of the overtly insensitive APC administration.
“The BoT is seriously worried over the continued fall in the value of the naira arising from the ill-implemented policies of the APC with attendant devastating negative effect on the economy, resulting in agonising high costs and unbearable pressure on families.
“The BoT laments that the APC is pushing Nigerians to the wall and is worried that the level of poverty and anger in the polity over the suppressive rule of the APC is capable of snowballing into a serious crisis if not urgently addressed.”
The BoT observed that the nation was currently in a precarious situation under APC and Nigerians looked to PDP for solution and direction at this time.
It reiterated PDP’s rejection of the judgement of the Presidential Election Petition Court (PEPC), which upheld the declaration of APC as winner of the February 25 presidential election, in spite of all the evidence clearly pointing to the contrary.
The BoT said it was monitoring and studying the outcome of cases in various election courts with regard to their level of adherence and respect to the rule of law and evidence before such courts.
The PDP BoT said it had resolved to take urgent steps to resist the current manifest desperation by APC to turn Nigeria into a one-party state.
The communiqué stated, “The BoT commended its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, for following due process of the law in his quest to retrieve the presidential mandate freely given to him at the February 25, 2023 presidential election.
“The BoT is confident in the capacity and courage of the Supreme Court to ultimately and decisively right the wrongs and correct the manifest errors contained in the judgement of the PEPC in the interest of the unity, stability and corporate existence of our country.”
It, however, assured Nigerians that despite the challenges, the party remained united, stronger and more determined to continue to lead the charge to rescue the country’s democracy and return it to the path of credible elections, rule of law, national cohesion, and economic prosperity.
Meanwhile, the bishops under the auspices of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) rejected what they described as the ever increasing scandalous comfort and remuneration of elected leaders to the detriment of the poor.
The bishops, who ended their week-long deliberations in Abuja on the state of the nation and the church, yesterday, said in a communiqué that Nigerians were going through unprecedented difficulties and sufferings.
They also bemoaned continued insecurity and violence across the country, despite assurances by the government to deal with the menace.
The bishops stated, “Our nation’s economy and citizens’ increased suffering, our failing and worsening economy have continued to make living difficult and hard for our people.
“Nigerians have been subjected to a life of poverty, hunger, hardship and suffering. The condition has been aggravated by the removal of fuel subsidy, which has led to high cost of food items, transportation and meeting up with other essential needs.
“As if these are not enough, the hike in school fees has made it difficult for the children of the poor to continue their education. Based on past experience, we consider the resort to palliative measures as a treatment of the symptom rather than the cure for the disease. We, therefore, urge government to address the fundamental defective structures that deepened inequality and poverty.”
The communiqué signed by Archbishop of Owerri Archdiocese and CBCN President, Lucius Iwejuru Ugorji, and Secretary, Archbishop of Uromi Diocese, Donatus A. Ogun, also stated, “We call on governments to provide the enabling environment for the creation of more jobs for our teeming unemployed youths.
“We equally encourage government to put in place measures that will curb the persistence of theft of oil and other minerals. At the same time, we enjoin the government to radically review programmes aimed at alleviating the suffering of the youths.
“We equally advise the youth not to resort to violence and crime as a substitute for hard work.”
