…Says party’s meticulous system will throw up Presidential candidate for 2023
The main opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Sunday, advised the President Muhammadu Buhari-led government to seek foreign assistance, particularly from European countries and the United States of America to tackle the escalating wave of insecurity in the country.
This is even as the party slammed the All Progressives Congress, APC-led federal government for “failing” to deal decisively “with sympathizers of terrorism” who in their words a few years ago, declared “their happiness when unbelievers are being killed.”
The party added that given the manner bandits, kidnappers and Boko Haram “are operating with ease, there is no doubt the President has failed even himself,” considering his oft-repeated pledge to run insurgents out of town on assumption of office.
Speaking to Vanguard, deputy national publicity secretary of the PDP, Diran Odeyemi said the Commander-in- Chief should own up that his strategies to restore peace in the land are not working and should therefore be bold enough to seek help outside the shores of the country.
“There is nothing to be ashamed of. Killings are now a daily occurrences. From public to private institutions, highways, military facilities, private homes-just name it, Nigeria is on the edge.
“Bandits are simply taunting us with their expertise in their chosen craft. They mock their victims and make videos of their daring exploits for us to see. All we hear from a clueless government is empty assurances that they are on top of the situation.
“Recently, the President even told the criminal elements not to take their luck too far that the administration has the capacity to crush them. What do you make of that? We leave judgment for the Nigerian people.
“Propaganda should now take the back seat. We call on President Buhari to seek the assistance of the international community, particularly Europe and America in the fight against insecurity. This should not necessarily be in form of loans but in intelligence gathering and equipment.
“In the past, the challenge was largely domiciled in the North-East but today, only the South-South is relatively peaceful. Other five geo-political zones are battling one form of security challenge or the other,” Odeyemi told Vanguard exclusively.
The publicity scribe also frowned at Buhari’s penchant for borrowing, stressing that in years to come, the burden of repayment will tell on the country in a manner that would impact her negatively.
“What did they do with the amounts they have been borrowing since 2015? Nigerians must ask questions because it appears the government is bent on selling this country. The more they borrow, the more they increase the price of fuel, the more they increase electricity tariffs and the more people languish in poverty.
“When Governor Godwin Obaseki recently lamented the sorry state of affairs such that money had to be printed to enable government meet its responsibility, they called him names but the statement by the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN governor Godwin Emiefele vindicated the governor,” he added.
On the party’s move to present a formidable candidate in the 2023 Presidential election, Odeyemi noted:
“We are not talking politics yet because the country is a hell to live in at the moment, no thanks to those who are in power and have no idea of what governance entails. We are worried as a party that the country is sinking under Buhari and unfortunately, he has so far failed to demonstrate sufficient capacity to tackle these challenges.
“In 2023, the PDP will do everything possible to present a candidate that will be acceptable to all. The party is aware of the shame that has since been our lot in the past few years and will ensure that a candidate of proven integrity, competence and experience is brought on board to salvage the situation in our land.
“Do not forget that till date, our 2018 convention in Port Harcourt remains a reference in the annals of Presidential conventions. When the time comes, we will better that record. For now, our primary occupation is to continuously stay on the side of Nigerians, many of whom are afraid to travel in fear of bandits and other criminal elements.
“As a party, we are worried that our country, due to poor leadership, is attracting negative headlines on a daily basis. Nothing is working and the people are in pains,” he further said.
He called on Nigerians to remain hopeful of a better future even as he enjoined them to continue to support law enforcement agencies and the military in their quest to restore sanity across the country.
