As
supporters of the newly formed political party, All Progressives Congress
(APC), continue to bask in the euphoria of successful merger of the major
opposition parties, the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has dismissed
its threats as unfounded and mere wishful thinking. A chieftain of PDP in Lagos
State and former Nigeria Ambassador to Ghana, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro,
reacting to the merger in an interview with Sunday Sun, said, “PDP will be here
for a long time and will continue to rule for as long as Nigerians are happy.”
He maintained that none of the parties
in the merger arrangement had a record of performance that could support the
claim they were making about rescuing Nigeria from the ruling party. “In all
the states under the control of Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), none of its
governors has offered anything tangible in 12 years. ANPP is another shameless
party that brought about Boko Haram. ANPP should tell us how many Nigerians
have died under the insurgency of Boko Haram.
Are they coming to entrench insecurity
in the country? Go to Borno State that is controlled by ANPP, there is no
development there. Nassarawa State that is the only state controlled by the
Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) is even worse. When you look at the faces
of APC governors, you will see that they are richer than the people they
govern. I know these people individually; they are a bunch of power seekers.
A merger is not about the people;
Nigerians are no fools,” he said. Obanikoro further stated that most of those
parading as progressives are despots who do not believe in the principle of
internal democracy and separation of power as it exists in a democratic
setting. He said: “All Progressives Congress (APC) is not an alternative to
PDP. And in all sense of it, PDP is more progressive than APC.
Their legislature does not exist;
rather it is a one-man show. Unlike PDP, they lack internal democracy. It is
only PDP that has strengthened and encouraged separation of power. No undue
interference with the judiciary and the legislature under PDP. As powerful as
OBJ is, he is constantly challenged within the party. Nobody can challenge
other leaders who are coming together to form APC. The PDP is not a perfect
party, but it is a party where members can express themselves without getting
into trouble.”
He added: “They (opposition) are only
good at using judiciary to frustrate the electorate. So, it is obvious that APC
can’t offer Nigeria anything. All of us know that ACN is being run by a sole
administrator. If we allow APC to work, it is like throwing Nigeria to the
wolves and allowing one man to acquire the entire country. It takes time for a
tree to grow. PDP is trying to put in place something that will endure. Once
the power reform starts to yield result, there will be employment generation
and Nigerians will be happier.”
Epressing similar optimism, the
Chairman of PDP in Holland, Engr. Austin I Majajah, said PDP remained unperturbed
by the threat of the new party, adding that “both the tangible and intangible
achievements of the present administration of President Goodluck Jonathan would
have become more glaring by 2015. The chances of PDP in 2015 still remains
bright even with the formation of APC. We are still waiting to see the
ingredients that make it mega as they claim.
Those who are saying that the PDP will
not exceed 2015 will be disappointed to their marrow
Source
Sun
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