The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has deplored the All Progressives Congress (APC) administration, describing it as irredeemable.
Rising from its National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting in Abuja on Tuesday, the party also called on the National Assembly to reject a fresh $21bn request sent to it on Tuesday by President Bola Tinubu.
In a communique read at the end of the meeting by the PDP Acting National Chairman, Umar Damagum, the party expressed serious concerns over what it described as the sorry and melancholic state of affairs in the nation.
According to the PDP, the APC administration has become irredeemably exploitative,insensitive and anti-people.
The main opposition party condemned the worsening insecurity in the country, typified by wanton killings, banditry, kidnapping, marauding of communities and other acts of terrorism in various parts of our country.
Deploring the situation further, the PDP said those perpetrating criminal activities across the country are emboldened by President Tinubu’s apparent negligence and abdication of his constitutional duty of ensuring the safety and security of the nation and her citizens.
The PDP NEC also lamented the worsening economic hardship and extreme poverty in the country, which it said was occasioned by the ill-advised and ill-implemented polices of the Tinubu administration.
The party listed hike in fuel price, wanton increase in electricity tariff, multiple taxes and unexplained charges on services as being responsible for the collapse of the productive sector, closure of millions of businesses, massive loss of jobs, rise in criminality and general sense of misery across the country.
It also accused the administration of “policy inconsistency, wholesale corruption, massive treasury-looting, budget padding and diversion of public funds.”
These, the PDP said, have resulted in infrastructural retrogression and loss of investors’ confidence in the system.
The party called on President Tinubu to rescind what it described as anti-people policies and take practical steps to address the insecurity and economic recession in the country.
“Furthermore, NEC stands in firm resistance to the sinister plot by the Tinubu-led APC to turn Nigeria into a one-party totalitarian state as evidenced in the desperate attempts to stifle and annihilate opposition parties through open siege, threats and intimidation of opposition figures and institutions of democracy in Nigeria.
“It is clear that this plot is borne out of APC’s mortal fear of inevitable defeat in 2027 due to its dismal failure in government.
“On the part of the PDP, NEC restates our party’s belief in democracy, rule of law and the supremacy of the will of the people, as expressed through their free and unhindered democratic participation in multi-party politics and governance,” the PDP said.
Reacting to the fresh loan request of $21. 5 billion and another N757. 9 billion to settle long standing pension liabilities, the PDP urged the National Assembly to reject the requests.
The PDP National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, who spoke on the sidelines of the NEC meeting, said the fresh loan requests would put unborn generation of Nigerians in bondage.
Ologunagba lamented the country’s heavy debt burden incurred from the last Muhammadu Buhari adminstartion, which he said, is being expanded by the Tunubu adminstartion.
He called on the National Assembly to be on the side of the suffering Nigerians for once, saying that they owed it a patriotic duty to defend voiceless Nigerians whose future is being mortgaged with mindless borrowing spree.
During the NEC meeting, Damagum said the party ratified the August 28-30 date for the PDP national convention where a new set of National Working Committee (NWC) member are expected to be elected.
“NEC also received and ratified the composition of the committee on the zoning of national offices ahead of the national convention.
“The members of the zoning committee are Gov. Douye Diri -Chairman, Gov. Dauda Lawal -Vice Chairman and Gov. Caleb Mutfwang -Secretary. The members of the National Convention Committee are Gov. Ahmadu Fintiri- Chairman, Gov. Ademola Adeleke- Vice Chairman and Gov. Peter Mbah – Secretary,” the communique stated.
The PDP however, could not resolve the crisis triggered by the contest for the National Secretary by three individuals. According to the party chairman, the matter had been deferred to June 30 when another NEC meeting is expected to discuss and resolve it.
Some of the prominent chieftains at the NEC meeting were Governors Seyi Makinde (Oyo), Ademola Adeleke (Osun), Caleb Mutfwang (Plateau), Peter Mbah (Enugu) and Dauda Lawal (Zamfara).
Others include Dr Bukola Saraki, former Benue Governor, Samule Ortom, BoT chairman, Adolphus Wabara, Senate Minority Leader, Abba Moro, Reps Minority Leader, Kingsley Chinda and members of the party’s NWC.
