By Ishaya Ibrahim, News Editor
President Muhammadu Buhari carries on with the affairs of the country in a leaderless style, leaving the country in an autopilot mode, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has said.
The PDP, which held its 90th National Executive Council (NEC) meeting on November 19th, said the fallout has led to a security, economic and existential crisis for the country.
“The worrisome situation here is that Nigerians do not really know who is in charge in the country today. It appears that governance in our country today is in autopilot with agencies and operatives in a free world harassing and intimidating perceived enemies,” the PDP said in a speech delivered by its national chairman, Prince Uche Secondus.
The situation has been made worse, said Secondus, by the impact of the COVID-19 on the economy, the increase in electricity tariff, fuel and Valued Added Tax, leading to a spiral inflation.
“The consequences of all these came to the fore when the youths, last month poured out their anger on the country through a nationwide protest. Even though the protest was triggered off by accumulated Police brutality, particularly by the defunct Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS, it developed into a wider rebellion against injustice and poor leadership in the country.
“Your Excellences, one significant fallout from the protest was the exposition of the poor management of the COVID-19 palliatives. Recall that our party had earlier cried out that the COVID-19 was becoming a huge window of corruption by federal government operatives.
“Perhaps the most annoying aspect of the protest was that the causalities recorded including the Tuesday 20th October night shooting of protesting youths at Lekki tollgate killing and injuring many, would have been averted if the government was responsive. Instead, it took President Muhammadu Buhari almost two weeks of persuasion and cajoling from many Nigerians including the Senate before he agreed to address the Nation on the issue after the damage was already done, youths killed by security agencies and property destroyed.
“The protest opened a fresh dimension in the government/ citizen relationship and underscores the fact that some fundamental actions are needed to get our polity going on the right track.
“The federal government should address the fundamental issues raised by the youths rather than the counterproductive strategy of seeking to hound and intimidate perceived leaders of the peaceful protest by seizing their travel documents, freezing their accounts and arrests. It must be emphasized that peaceful protest is a right in every democracy and guaranteed by the country’s constitution,” Secondus said.
On the defection of the Ebonyi State governor, Dave Umahi to the APC, Secondus said the reason offered by the governor for leaving the party, citing injustice against South East was provocative.
“We have refused to join issues with him in any way but we cannot bow to any blackmail. What i can report to NEC is that the strength of our party in Ebonyi state and South East is intact and the NWC has taken necessary steps to protect and guard it. The real reason that informed this decision will soon be exposed,” he said.
Secondus then gave his performance record to the PDP NEC members consisting of governors of the party, caucus leaders in the National Assembly, state chairmen of the party, and others who make up the NEC.
He said: “When the current National Working Committee, NWC, under my watch came into office nearly three years ago, we based our programs on 3Rs, to reposition, rebuild and to regain.
“I can confidently report to NEC that the program is on course. We were able to reform the party ahead of 2019 general election enough to take us to victory if the APC regime had allowed the will of the people to prevail. Number of PDP governors increased from 11 to 16 and would have been more if not for APC’s Electoral abracadabra in Osun, Kano, Kogi states and climaxed in Imo state with the shocking Supreme Court ruling.
“At the National Assembly, as an opposition we were able to attract into our fold the Senate President and 16 senators, the Speaker and more than 34 House of Representatives members ahead of the 2019 elections in addition to three seating state governors, Rt. Hon. Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto state, Dr Sam Ortom of Benue and Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara state. All these are as a result of our repositioning of the party that made it a huge brand. We restored integrity to our primaries.
“On the off season elections, we won the governorship in Bayelsa and Edo. The Party also prevailed in several bye-elections in Sokoto, Cross River, Taraba and Rivers states,” he said.