The All Progressives Congress (APC) on Thursday took exception to unwarranted abuse of President Muhammadu Buhari by the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its members, warning that it may not condone such act anymore.
The party specifically told the opposition party and its members that being in opposition or a critic was not a licence to denigrate the President or his office.
APC National Chairman John Odigie-Oyegun, in a statement by the party’s Assistant Director, Media and Publicity Edegbe Odemwingie, condemned what it called the “Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) unprovoked insults and unguarded statements on President Muhammadu Buhari and other members of the APC.’”
The statement reads: ‘”In the aftermath of Wednesday’s widely-acclaimed presidential chat, PDP’s spokesman Olisa Metuh in a statement issued on Thursday, among others, called President Buhari an “unrepentant tyrant” and “fascist”. In other baseless allegations, the PDP accused ministers and APC members of corruption while further accusing the President of a selective anti-corruption fight.
APC’s National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun said: “APC is worried by PDP’s inciting statements. Respect for the office of the President or heads of government in any clime is not a matter of choice but a civic obligation sanctioned by laws. Being an opposition party or critic is no licence to issue abusive, intemperate and slanderous statements on government officials; most especially the President of the country.
“PDP has proved that it is not a party to be trusted or taken seriously. Only recently, the PDP said in a December 24, 2015 statement: ‘we urge that Nigerians should not recourse to hauling insults on the President’.
“For the umpteenth time, the APC urges Nigerians who see merit in the war that the President Buhari-led administration is waging against corruption, not to be distracted by the PDP and their agents of corruption to discredit the war. For the records, the ongoing war against corruption is not selective. Anybody guilty of corrupt practices will face the law.
“If PDP has any proof of corruption against any APC member or minister as alleged, we advise that they approach any of the anti-graft agencies constitutionally mandated to handle such cases.
“PDP’s rant suggesting a selective anti-corruption fight by the present administration should be seen as a plot meant to distract the citizenry from the successful ongoing war against graft.
-NAN
