National
leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP yesterday took a swipe at
President Muhammadu Buhari over statements attributed to him, saying that
Nigerians who gave him 97% of their votes will be better treated than those who
gave him 5%, saying that declaration was not only vindictive, divisive, but an
attempt by the president to govern the country in a discriminatory manner.
According to PDP, the President Buhari was setting a record as no president in the history of the country had ever made such a statement the PDP described as biased and partisan, adding that it has become imperative for the president to come and explain if this would form the basis of government appointments, thereby jettisoning total adherence to merit and the principle of Federal character as enshrined in the constitution.
President Buhari in a session with foreign journalists in Washington DC during
his visit to the United States had stated clearly that those who voted for him
97% cannot get the same dividends of his government as those that didn’t vote
for him or voted 5%.According to PDP, the President Buhari was setting a record as no president in the history of the country had ever made such a statement the PDP described as biased and partisan, adding that it has become imperative for the president to come and explain if this would form the basis of government appointments, thereby jettisoning total adherence to merit and the principle of Federal character as enshrined in the constitution.
Addressing Journalists yesterday, PDP National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh who described the recent visit of the President to the United States of America as a guest of President Barrack Obama as embarrassing, stressed that the absence of an economic team for healthy and informed discussion at the meeting with officials of the US government was a serious blunder and gaffes.
The PDP also lampooned the Government over comments by the Director of Protocol, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Hussien warning former first lady, Dame Patience Jonathan that if he sees her again at the Protocol Lounge of the Port Harcourt Airport, she would be dealt with, just as the party urged the presidency to call the officer to order, adding, ” the recent organised public humiliation of the immediate past First lady and wife of the former President, Dame Patience Jonathan at the Port Harcourt airport where she was refused access to the protocol lounge based on ” order from Abuja” is a particular case in point.
” We stress this case because when the immediate past President was in power, all former Presidents and their slouches had unhindered access to the protocol lounge.”
Metuh who urged President Buhari to explain to Nigerians his planned World Bank Loan of $2.1 billion for purposes unknown to Nigerians if the government was actually transparent, however asked the President to account to Nigerians the cost of governance since May against the backdrop that he has taken some very serious decisions without recourse to relevant Statutory arms and organs of government.
The PDP spokesperson who stressed that the All Progressives Congress, APC government so far has no direction, said, “President Buhari told a stunned audience in the US that “constituencies that gave me 97 percent cannot in all honesty be treated, on some issues, with constituencies that gave me 5 percent”, signifying that his government will be discriminatory.