TheCable

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has criticised President Muhammadu Buhari for branding residents of the federal capital territory as “necessary evil”.

Buhari had described them as “necessary evil” for voting the PDP during the last general election.

But in a statement, Kola Ologbondiyan, PDP spokesman, said resorting to branding Nigerians evil for exercising their rights is completely “un-presidential” and must be condemned by all.

He said Buhari’s statement was capable of demonising innocent compatriots and setting them up for victimisation by “overzealous agencies”.

“President Buhari should note that he was not only rejected by FCT residents but also by an overwhelming majority of Nigerians across the states of the federation, who voted massively for the PDP, only for the Independent National Electoral Commission to subvert the will of the people in his favour; consequent upon which our party and presidential candidate have headed for the retrieval of this stolen mandate at the tribunal, “the statement read.

“The PDP criticises the president for stating that to make FCT secure is to make ‘myself secure and the Vice President’ .

“The party holds that it is the duty of the president to provide security for all parts of the country, irrespective of where he and the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo reside or how Nigerians cast their votes.”

The party said the security of lives of all Nigerians ought to have been paramount to the president and not determined by inessential factors, if indeed he has the interest of the people at heart.

The party, therefore, called on Buhari to apologise to Nigerians for the “divisive comment”.