PDP, APC fight dirty over Buhari’s new agenda for Nigeria

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) have thrown tantrums at each other over President Muhammadu Buhari’s new agenda for the nation.

President Buhari had on Tuesday, listed nine areas his administration would prioritise in his remaining three years in office.

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He listed improvement of access to quality education, health care, power supply, poverty reduction among others.

But the PDP in a statement on Wednesday, by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan said Buhari was still in campaign mood five years after seizing power, reeling out “empty” promises while other world leaders were already showcasing their achievements.

The opposition party alleged that President Buhari had failed on his 2015 and 2019 campaign promises on anti-graft war, insecurity and economy, claiming that his new agenda for the nation was also deceptive.

“The world need not be reminded that Mr. President and his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), packaged a litany of false promises with which they swayed Nigerians in 2015, only to renege on assumption of office.

“President Buhari and the APC had promised to pay N5,000 monthly allowance to indigent Nigerians, provide massive employment, free houses, monthly allowances to discharged Corps Members, reduction in price of fuel, revamping of our refineries, bringing the US dollar to the same value as the naira and other bogus promises which have today, become streams of mirage.

“On assumption of office, President Buhari reduced the litany of promises to three cardinal undertaking of ending insurgency and insecurity, fighting corruption by having and improving on the economy.

“It is no longer news that President Buhari has failed in all these three undertakings to Nigerians.

“Five years under Buhari, insecurity has worsened in our country with bandits, insurgents and kidnappers running over towns and communities in various states including President Buhari’s home state of Kastina, while Mr. President, who promised to lead from the front is receding in the safety and comfort of the Aso Presidential Villa,” the PDP said.

But reacting last night, the APC in a statement by its Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Yekini Nabena, said the PDP’s era of “voodoo economics, abandoned projects, institutionalised corruption” were long forgotten.

The APC described the PDP as a failed opposition party, which chose to dwell on its alleged ignominious past and practices where alleged fraud was the order of the day.

“At this point it will be a complete waste of time joining issues with the PDP which failed as a government and has become shockingly rudderless as a supposed opposition party.

“One thing is clear, we are reminded why the PDP should never be allowed to direct the country’s affairs again.

“Under the President Buhari-led APC government, is Nigeria Africa’s largest economy? Yes. Are we beginning to eat what we grow? Yes. Have we achieved a sustainable petroleum pricing template? Yes. Is institutionalised corruption and impunity still the norm? No. Is money spent on ongoing infrastructure project being accounted for? Yes. With our steady climb in the global ease of doing business index, is Nigeria a profitable investment destination? Yes.

“For us in the APC, we will join well-meaning Nigerians in supporting and ensuring the achievements of President Buhari’s priority areas which will see among others, improved access to quality education, affordable health care, enhanced productivity, a thriving and sustainable economy, enhanced social inclusion and poverty reduction, enlarged agricultural output, energy sufficiency in power and petroleum products, expanded transport and other infrastructural development, business growth, entrepreneurship and industrialisation, fight against corruption, improved governance, social cohesion and improved security for all,” the APC said.