TheCable

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has accused President Muhammadu Buhari of scamming Nigerians with “a list of empty campaign promises.”

The party also accused the Buhari administration of taking the glory for the achievements of the PDP government in the past 16 years.

Speaking at a press conference in Abuja on Sunday, Olisa Metuh, spokesman of the PDP, advised Nigerians to brace up for more hard times under President Buhari.

“Since the President has insisted on running his government ‎as a sole administrator, making important decisions on national affairs
without recourse to relevant statutory arms and organs of government, we are compelled to demand that this administration come out clear on its expenses since assumption of office in May in keeping with its much harped stance on transparency,” he said.

“We make this demand because since the APC took office, the nation’s financial system in the absence of statutory functionaries has been enmeshed in confusion, controversy and fertile atmosphere for financial sleazes. Recall that when it assumed office, this administration raised the issue of empty treasury only for the nation to learn few days later from the Accountant General of the Federation that about $2.1 billion was left in the Excess Crude Account (ECA).

“When the PDP demanded credit for the ECA savings, the nation was suddenly made aware of huge sums from the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas dividends from which the APC-led Federal Government announced financial bailout for states. It is interesting to note that whereas the Presidency has gone ahead to unilaterally deplete the funds without recourse to appropriate statutory arms of government, state governors are on air announcing that they have not received any form of bailout whatsoever from the centre, raising serious questions on the handling of national resources.

“This is more so as we have information that the Presidency, acting alone, has gone into discussions with the World Bank for a loan of $2.1 billion for purposes unknown to Nigerians. What is the loan for? What are the terms and who are those working the papers? Who are the people to decide on how the money will be spent? Is it true that the $2.1 billion loan is meant to pay back huge contributions for the APC Presidential campaign expenses? If truly this government is transparent, it should come out clear on this loan as well as publicize details of its expenditure in the last two months.

“We are worried that the ineptitude, avoidable inactivity, lack of policy direction and absence of ministers to coordinate government affairs have left the nation’s economy sour with continued slide in the naira which has fallen from under N200 to the dollar in May to an all-time low of N240, in addition to the excruciating loss in the capital market which has lost over N1.1 trillion in the last two months.

“With the recent display of insensitivity in deciding that ministers would be appointed in September, a reneging on the earlier promise to unfold a cabinet two weeks after inauguration, Nigerians should brace up for more economic loses ahead, a development which spells doom for the gains earlier achieved by the PDP administration in growing our economy to the biggest in Africa and one of the fastest-growing in the world.

“Indeed, Nigerians are no longer in doubt that they have been scammed with long list of empty promises. This government has failed to articulate any policy direction in any sector. What we see is a smart attempt at cosmetic governance, loud propaganda and artful move to appropriate the achievements made by the PDP-led administration; such as the effort in ending polio, the improvement in power supply which is a dividend from numerous investments by the previous administrations, the return of the railways among others.”

The PDP said the only achievements and change brought by the APC government were the curbing of the fundamental human rights of citizens, engaging in selective application of war against corruption, interfering in the activities of the national assembly and eroding the independence of INEC.

“The order of the day has become the crass victimization and harassment of officials of the immediate past administration. The recent organized public humiliation of the immediate past First Lady and wife of the former President, Dame Patience Jonathan at the Port Harcourt airport where she was refused access to the protocol lounge based on ‘order from Abuja’ is a particular case in point. We stress this case because when the immediate past President was in power, all former Presidents and their spouses had unhindered access to the protocol lounge.

“While we note that this development has been widely condemned by Nigerians, we ask if the former President erred in conceding defeat. Is the Federal Government by any means encouraging a sit-tight attitude by government officials? Moreover, we have been watching with keen interest the unfolding scenario in INEC where the Presidency has been making every effort to rewrite the constitution and the law with the singular aim to perpetuate Mrs. Amina Zakari as Chairman in spite of her relationship and closeness to key APC leaders.

“We are also aware of the position of the law and that Mrs. Zakari’s tenure as a member of the commission elapsed on July 21, 2015. We restate that as long as Mrs Zakari remains in the commission, it should not be considered as independent and we will not accept any attempt to manipulate the results of the forthcoming governorship elections in Kogi and Bayelsa, which are known PDP strongholds.

“Finally, we state in clear terms that for the APC, it is a matter of so far, bad change. So far, bad change that the government has failed to articulate any clear policy direction with attendant avoidable confusion and economic downturn; so far, bad change that our dear nation is gradually sliding into a banana republic were the fundamental rights of the citizens are being trampled upon and where security agencies have become compromised instruments of oppression in the hands of the ruling party.

“So far, bad change that INEC has now lost its independence and the respect it commanded among electoral stakeholders for fact of nepotism in appointment of its Chairman; so far, bad change that the National Assembly, the very citadel of our democracy has fallen under siege by a government which seeks to appropriate its leadership and erode its constitutional independence.

“So far, bad change that the government has reneged on many of its promises to the people and now seeks to hoodwink them with lies, propaganda and governance orchestrations. So far, bad change that the people now have to live with the reality that the government had no intention of providing monthly N5, 000 stipend, allowances to the discharged but unemployed Youth Corps members, free meals for school children, 100 million jobs, additional 4 million new homes, and bringing the naira to the same value with the dollar among other promises for which they were voted for.

“As a responsible political party that has sustained democracy in the last 16 years, we are in good position to understand the growing frustration and agitation among the people. However, we appreciate the sense of calm by the citizens especially bearing in mind that this confusion called the APC will end in the next four years.”