The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday described President Muhammadu Buhari’s alleged comment that he would administer the country on the basis of the voting pattern as ethnically divisive and vindictive.
The opposition PDP condemned Buhari who allegedly made the statement during his recent visit to the United States (US) for raising division among sectional and religious lines, saying it may trigger a return of the quest for ethnic and sectional self-determination.
PDP noted that the alleged position of Buhari runs contrary to his oath of office. It also lambasted Buhari and his All Progressives Congress-led administration for being “crassly” inexperienced in state craft, expressing doubt that his recent visit to the US will yield much result.
It described the visit as merely cosmetic.
The opposition party, which accused the president of running his government as a sole administrator and making important decisions on national affairs without recourse to relevant statutory arms of government, demanded that his administration should reveal its expenses since assumption of office in May in keeping with its much harped stance on transparency.
Reacting however, the national publicity secretary of PDP, Olisa Metu, who addressed a press conference on the state of affairs in the country, said “while Nigerians awaited reassuring words to promote our democracy and unity as a nation, they were shocked as they watched President Buhari unfold to the world his decision to administer the country on the basis of the voting pattern in the last general elections rather than on equity as stipulated by the constitution and his oath of office as the president of Nigeria.
“Never in the history of our nation has a president made such a divisive and vindictive declaration. Never in the history of Nigeria has a president made such tendentious, biased and partisan statement, a blade on the chord of unity of his own country and people.
“President Buhari as a respected leader and the father of the nation whose “I belong to everybody and I belong to nobody’ inaugural speech brought great hope to Nigerians, must therefore, note the enormous damage and danger his recent partisan declaration brings to the polity”.
“We demand that the president come clear on this matter. Would this form the basis of government appointments rather than adherence to merit and the principle of federal character as enshrined in the constitution? Would this be a basis for termination of appointments, promotions and key policies in the service circle?”
“Would it form the basis for distribution of infrastructural development projects and other essential interventions rather than the principle of equity and equality of federating units as stipulated by the constitution? Is this a deliberate policy by the APC or his personal stance? Are we expecting the same discriminatory policy from APC state governors?
