- PDP is crumbling under your watch, APC taunts Secondus
- APC in deep slumber as the nation groans, Secondus fires back
By Ishaya Ibrahim, News Editor
It was war of words between the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the chairman of the Peoples Demoratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus, on Monday over who is to blame for the sorry state of the country.
The APC fired the first salvo when it claimed that the opposition PDP was fast crumbling under the watch of its current National Chairman, Uche Secondus.
This was contained in a statement titled, ‘APC to Secondus: Opposition PDP Crumbling Under Your Watch, Credible Elections The New Normal Under Buhari,’ signed the Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Yekini Nabena, in Abuja, on Monday.
Nabena, apparently was reacting to a recent comment by the PDP National Chairman who upbraided President Muhammadu Buhari and the APC over Buhari’s comments that his administration could have used security agencies to overrun states won by the PDP in the 2019 elections but chose to support a democratic process.
The APC spokesperson urged Secondus to focus on his party “which has become shockingly rudderless under his watch.”
But in a statement by his Media Adviser, Ike Abonyi, Secondus fired back, accusing Buhari and the APC of running Nigeria aground.
Titled “Response to APC statement on Secondus, the statement said, “APC and it’s government are in a state of deep unconsciousness, sleeping on duty as the nation groans.
“In their struggle to say something, they expose their insensitivity to the plight of the populace.
Calling the APC a confused political party, the statement further asserted that “A lame and confused party breeds bad government and they together abet poverty in the land. God will rescue his people from an unfair regime.”
Debunking APC’s claim that the PDP was crumbling under his watch, the statement concluded that, “When Secondus came to power two and half years ago, PDP controlled 11 states, today they are 16.
“For APC when they came to office Nigeria was standing, today she is crippled, please spot the difference.”
But the APC statement disagreed. “Under Secondus, the PDP has never had it this bad with the opposition party’s stakeholders detached from the party activities as was witnessed with notable PDP leaders boycotting the Party’s 2019 presidential campaigns and the recent Bayelsa State Governorship bribe-for-ticket scandal that indicted Secondus.
“Little wonder, the recent months have witnessed many PDP members resign their membership due to Secondus activities which have brought the PDP to its knees.
“The PDP under Secondus is in willful denial of the obvious that under the President Muhammadu Buhari-led APC administration, free, fair and credible elections is the new normal. Voting power is fast returning to the people and the era of stolen and procured votes is fast-fading.”
Nabena wondered, “Why will the PDP under Secondus not support efforts to ensure the independence of our state institutions such as the judiciary, INEC, and our security services and ultimately deepen our democracy and improve our electioneering system?”
Below is the full APC statement
APC to Secondus: Opposition PDP Crumbling Under Your Watch
- Credible Elections the New Normal Under Buhari
In reacting to the recent comments by the National Chairman of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Uche Secondus on President Muhammadu Buhari and the All Progressives Congress (APC) decision to defend and support free, fair elections, particularly the 2019 elections as opposed to previous PDP militarized elections, the APC calls on Secondus to focus on the PDP which has become shockingly rudderless under his watch.
Under Secondus, the PDP has never had it this bad with the opposition Party’s stakeholders detached from the party activities as was witnessed with notable PDP leaders boycotting the Party’s 2019 presidential campaigns and the recent Bayelsa State Governorship bribe-for-ticket scandal that indicted Secondus.
Little wonder, the recent months have witnessed many PDP members resign their membership due to Secondus activities which has brought the PDP to its knees.
The PDP under Secondus is in willful denial of the obvious that under the President Muhammadu Buhari-led APC administration, free, fair and credible elections are the new normal. Voting power is fast returning to the people and the era of stolen and procured votes is fast-fading.
We reiterate that President Buhari’s declaration that the APC could have used the military and other security services to overrun opposition states in the 2019 general election but chose free, fair elections is a solid pointer and demonstrates our proven democratic and progressive credentials.
Why will the PDP under Secondus not support efforts to ensure the independence of our state institutions such as the Judiciary, INEC and our security services and ultimately deepen our democracy and improve our electioneering system?
We call on progressive partisans, particularly in the PDP not to sink with the opposition party which has become clearly disillusioned under Secondus. The Governor Mai Mala Buni-led APC Caretaker/Extra-Ordinary National Convention Planning Committee (CENCPC) has created a healthy and progressive political environment in the APC and is entrenching internal democracy which is geared towards electing into public offices patriotic countrymen who will put the people first and contribute to achieving the Nigeria we all desire and deserve, a party which defends that fact that power belongs to the people and during elections, votes must count.
The APC welcomes all Progressives.