The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has congratulated Nigerians for surviving what it said was the disastrous eight years and four months leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Stating that APC has, in just a little over eight years, vanished all the gains made by PDP in its 16 years leadership. The party urged Nigerians to look beyond the ruling party for solutions to the current hardship disaster.
Speaking in an independence anniversary message signed by Debo Ologunagba, its National Publicity Secretary, PDP said Nigeria cannot progress with APC, a party administration signposted by lies, negative propaganda, stealing of public funds and economic hardships.
Describing APC’s leadership of Nigeria as dreadful, PDP stated it performed far better while it held sway for 16 years.
“The PDP notes with pain that the APC has reversed all the gains made by our founding fathers as well as the immeasurable achievements recorded by the PDP in its 16 years in government”, it said, adding that its 16 years was “a period widely acknowledged as Nigeria’s Golden Years.”
“The independence of any nation and its sovereignty is embedded in the right, liberty and freedom of citizens, especially to participate in governance through free, fair and credible electoral process under a transparent and responsible government that is answerable to the people with utmost respect for the Rule of Law and Constitutionally guaranteed rights of citizens.
“Painfully, the APC administrations have practically returned our nation to a state of bondage; a nation ruled by circles of cabals where citizens are treated with utter disdain like conquered people; where Government has no value for the lives and welfare of citizens; where dissenting voices are treated like enemies of State and where primitive dictatorship, violation of Human Rights and electoral malpractices are elevated as State policies.
“The APC got into power by lies, deceit and propaganda. It has resorted to violence, brazen rigging of elections, violation of the Principle of Separation of Powers, as evidenced in the harassment and intimation of Judicial Officers, bullying of the Legislature and corruption of electoral institution to perpetuate itself in power.
“It is agonizing that our once secure nation has been opened up to terrorist elements and bandits imported by the APC, as confessed by one of its leaders, to assist the APC to violently rig elections in Nigeria. Today, sadly, our dear nation ranks as one of the highest in the World Terrorism Index, with over 20,000 citizens reportedly killed and many more maimed, dislocated and displaced under the APC.
“Out of sheer greed, incompetence and corruption, the APC has wrecked our productive sectors and turned our once economically thriving nation (with a Fitch BB rating under the PDP administration) into the poverty capital of the world, with an alarming 40% unemployment rate and where over 80 million Nigerians cannot afford their daily meals.
“Today, our Naira, which exchanged for N187 to the US Dollar under the PDP, has fallen to an abysmal N1000 and above to the US Dollar; fuel, which sold at N87 per litre under the PDP, now sells for over N630 under the APC. Prices of staple food and other essential commodities continue to skyrocket with no end in sight.
“Life has become so unbearable under the APC-led Nigeria that citizens are now resorting to suicide; more than three million citizens are internally displaced, over 400,000 crossed the borders to neighbouring countries as refugees while thousands of our promising youths are fleeing abroad.
“It is more disheartening that while Nigerians suffer, APC leaders and cabals continue in their mindless treasury-looting, stealing over N25 trillion in shady oil deals, including the $25 billion (N22.5 trillion) contract scam detailed in the leaked NNPC memo as well as N1.1 trillion worth of crude oil allegedly stolen with 18 unregistered vessels linked to certain APC interests.
“This is in addition to trillions of Naira reportedly stolen from various agencies of Government, including the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation, the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the Social Investment Programme, where the former First Lady, Aisha Buhari, exposed that N500 billion was siphoned.
“Under the APC, Nigeria has sunk horribly low in Transparency International (TI) ‘s rating as the most corrupt West African Nation and ranking 150 out of 180 in the World Corruption Perception Index.
“It is lamentable that despite all its atrocities, the APC continues to take Nigerians for granted with its arrogance, fake promises and false performance claims.
“The 63rd Independence Anniversary, therefore, serves as a wake-up call to all Nigerians and lovers of freedom all over the world to stand in defence of Democracy, Rule of Law, respect for Human Rights and Transparency in the governance of our country,” the statement read.
