By Daniel Kanu (With Press Release)
Following the adoption of the former governor of Edo State, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, as the new national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) by President Muhammadu Buhari, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Wednesday accused the ruling party of losing “all democratic credentials deserving of a ruling party.”
The opposition party said the president’s “high-handedness and coronation of former Edo state governor, Adams Oshiomhole, as the National Chairman, at the Presidential villa, without allowing for a free and fair congress as enshrined in their constitution,” was in bad democratic taste.
“The APC has now practically become a party of “anything goes” where decisions are taken only according to the whims and caprices of President Buhari in conjuction with his Presidency cabal.
“It is therefore not surprising that deflated APC governors, who were at the Villa meeting, acquiesced to the orders and preferences of President Buhari because the APC has since lost its populist buoyancy and strength with which it was berthed on 2014.
“More appalling to this impunity are the reports of threats and harassment of APC members who demanded for free and fair congress, as well as those, indicating support for other aspirants other than Oshiomhole.
“It is obvious that the human rights abuses, intimidation, arrests and detention of opposition and dissenting voices, including the uncompromising members in the APC, as being witnessed in the persecution of senators, are all spawned towards the 2019 re-election bid.
“We invite Nigerians to note that the same Oshiomhole, who is burdened by allegations of humongous corruption while serving as Edo State governor, is the person President Buhari, the African Anti-Corruption Champion, is pushing as the National Chairman of his party without taking him through the rigours of due diligence checks.
‘We know that the Presidency has been jittery over mounting opposition against President Buhari within the APC and, in their desperation to clinch the party’s presidential ticket at all cost, finds a good ally in the former Edo State governor, who by now should have been facing investigation over allegations bordering on corruption.
“Nigerians can now see that the APC is an ideologically vacuous vehicle used to seize power in 2015 and which oppressive elements working for President Buhari are also currently deploying to subvert the will of the people ahead of the 2019 general elections.
“On our part, the repositioned and rebranded PDP remains open and committed to strict observance of all tenets and principles of internal democracy, particularly in providing a level playing ground for all in the process of electing officials and candidates for all position and all levels of political engagements.
“We therefore urge Nigerians to note the undemocratic proclivities of the APC and President Buhari and rally with the PDP to return our nation to the path of democracy, freedom, good governance and economic prosperity, come 2019.”
