BREAKING NEWS, Politics
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THE Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has criticised President Muhammadu Buhari’s responses at the Wednesday, December 30, 2015 presidential media chat, saying they were not only embarrassing but also further exposed him as undemocratic as well as an unrepentant tyrant who has no regard for the rule of law and the self-worth of Nigerian citizens.
The party, in a statement by Olisa Metuh, its national publicity secretary, on Thursday, December 31, also said that Buhari confirmed his partisanship in the much-vaunted war against corruption by openly absolving his ministers and party members of corrupt practices.
“A situation where the president openly pronounced persons facing trial guilty and sanctioned their continued incarceration despite being granted bail by the courts, presents a dangerous fascist practice obtainable only in totalitarian societies like Mussolini’s Italy, Hitler’s Germany, Idi Amin’s Uganda and General Than Shwe’s Burma.
“This extremely shocking dictatorial tendency being brazenly exhibited by the President in total disdain for our laws and judicial institutions portends great danger for our democracy and constitutionally-guaranteed rights of the people, and should be resisted by the citizens before it festers.
“The scorn for the principle of separation of powers, especially the independence of the legislature, is further manifested in the declared craving to regulate the funding and running of the National Assembly, a matter constitutionally vested outside the jurisdiction of the executive. We are most uncomfortable about his attempt at trying to whip up public sentiments against an independent arm of government, especially the one vested with the constitutional power of appropriation,” the statement said.
On the issue of the Chibok girls, the party said that President Buhari’s declaration of seeking information on their whereabouts betrayed him as being insincere in his campaign promises on the matter. “Thus by this declaration, our dear president has accepted failure on this issue and should, therefore, apologise to Nigerians for all the insults, abuse and aspersions cast on the past administration by himself and the leadership of his political party,” the PDP said.
“Furthermore, Nigerians were shocked by the President’s labeling Nigerians as ‘very difficult lot’ while responding to questions on the strategy to be adopted in implementing his promised N5,000 social welfare package.
“This unhealthy portrayal of the citizens by the very father of the nation, who has remained unrelenting in de-marketing his country through unguarded statements, is indeed a great disservice to Nigeria and its international image. Consequently, we reject this negative labelling of our citizens and reiterate our confidence in them, especially the millions who remain honest, hardworking and credible,” the PDP statement said further.
The party asked Nigerians to note that the president gave no inspiring answers to questions on his campaign promises, the fight against insurgency and rescue of the Chibok girls, the poor state of the naira, the current floundering state of the economy under his administration as well as the gradual loss of democratic rights and freedom.
— Jan 4, 2016 @ 17:10 GMT
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