The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has asked President Muhammadu Buhari to start implementing his campaign promises while reiterating that regardless of blackmail, intimidation or propaganda, that the party will stand with other well meaning Nigerians in the pursuit of the promised change on which the President hinged his campaign and subsequent election.
The PDP called on the Presidency to stop giving lame and diversionary excuses as to why the President Buhari All Progressives Congress (APC) led government has not appointed key officials. They alleged that through the non-appointment of these key officials such as ministers and aides has given room for some persons who claim to be close with the President to penetrate executive bodies, conniving with unscrupulous elements to siphon national resources.
The PDP made these claims in a statement signed by the National Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh, in Abuja on Monday, June 29, 2015 which came on the heels of the Presidency’s claims that President Buhari was cleaning up the mess the PDP had created while it was in power for the last 16 years. The Presidency had given this as an excuse for the delay in making the key appointments.
Metuh in his statement said that the PDP would not be cowed into submission by threats and wild accusations made by the Presidency into abandoning their role as an opposition party and speaking out against the wrong doings in the present administration.
He said, “The PDP and indeed all well-meaning Nigerians were appalled by the response from the Presidency regarding our call for prayers to enable President Muhammadu Buhari-led All Progressives Congress administration to locate its bearing, compose a government and halt the prevailing stagnation with its huge negative impact on the system.
“Instead of addressing the issues raised, the Presidency descended to insults, abuses and innuendos, a stance which not only bears out the case made by the PDP but also raises questions about the capacity of this administration to shoulder the enormous responsibility of governance.”
Metuh maintained that the present administrations was expected to be serious with its anti-corruption campaign by probing and persecuting anyone found guilty of enriching himself through corruption. He said that the fight should include all individuals suspected of corruption irrespective of political affiliation to any party.
He also wondered whether it was the mess cleaning that had led to President’s Buhari’s inability to make up his mind on key appointments such as Chief of Staff, Secretary to the Government of the Federation and the demanded 15 Special Advisers he requested for and which was approved by the PDP controlled 7 Senate on June 5, 2015, after 90 days of winning the elections even prior to swearing in.
Metuh also pointed the President’s attention to clear the mess created on the pages of newspapers by some persons he alleged claimed to be close to the President. According to him, the persons “have in the last 30 days been piling up sleazes that also need his attention in key agencies of government.”
“Despite the absence of approving and supervising officials, key income generating institutions like NNPC, NIMASA, NPA, FIRS and other strategic agencies have been invaded by persons claiming to be friends and associates of the President and this puts to question the sincerity and seriousness of the administration to affect the so-called change upon which they rode to power,” he added.
Also important, according to Metuh, was the construction of a helipad among other expenses and other major government expenditure which he alleged have been incurred in the last one month without due supervision as the President couldn’t be everywhere.
While insisting that the PDP had respect for the person and the office of the President seeing as he is an elder statesman and considering his age, Metuh pointed out that “the President of the Federal Republic Nigeria is neither a Sherriff in the Old Wild West nor a military dictator in some Banana Republic.”
“He is an elected President under a democratic setting,” he added.
