PDP urges more members to quit APC

Eromosele Ebhomele

Nigeria’s ruling political party, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Saturday appealed to members of its main opposition, the All Progressives Congress, APC, to begin to find their way out of the party and possibly join the PDP.

The party also accused the APC of what it thinks is a “growing anti-democratic behaviour” which “if left unchecked, could undermine the entire democratic structure.”

It said, through a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh that the call for people to quit the opposition party immediately is because they are “not likely to enjoy any democratic tenet under despotic leaders who are not disposed to divergent views.”

The PDP said the APC had shown itself to be “nothing but a party of ill-bred, frustrated and intolerant politicians; bad losers for whom resorting to personal attacks, blackmail and mudslinging, in addition to promoting violence has become an ideology.”

The statement described APC leaders as “incurable despots who have since instituted a reign of impunity characterized by brazen dictatorship, imposition and victimization within the APC.”

It cautioned those expecting free and fair primaries for the selection of APC candidates for the 2015 general election to wake up to reality before it becomes too late.

It is believed the PDP may have been provoked into such vituperation following a recent condemnation of the way President Goodluck Jonathan had handled issues relating to insurgency in the country and the alleged sponsors of the Boko Haram terrorist group.

Autralian negotiator, Stephen Davis, had revealed that leaders of the sect told him that former governor of Borno State, Ali Modu Sheriff, and former Army Chief, Azubuike Ihejirika, were their sponsors.

The APC called the duo friends of the President asking that they be handed over to the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity.

Though the quo have denied any involvement with the terrorist group, Nigerians have continued to ask that they be investigated, but official security spokesperson for the government, Mike Omeri, on Friday said the government had no intention to investigate anyone mentioned by Davis.

He said the government was, instead, investigating Davis’ claims and also denied that the government hired Davis to negotiate with the group on its behalf.

The PDP did not however mention this in the statement save for its continuous mention of the APC as giving those who left its fold a bad name.

“That the APC is a party of self-centred and dictatorial politicians with no regard for democratic principles is well known to all. However, we have noted a disturbing pattern, wherein the APC leaders now resort to personal attacks on people when they dump their party.

“The vitriolic attacks, insults and threats on former Kano Governor Ibrahim Shekarau, his Sokoto state counterpart, Attahiru Bafarawa, former Aviation Minister, Femi Fani Kayode and several others who were labelled ‘traitors and political misfits’ by APC leaders when they left the party easily come to mind.

“Nigerians ponder. Why is it that the APC only realises that their members are traitors and misfits when they exercise their freedom of association and leave due to its undemocratic, destructive and anti-people agenda?

“One notable example is the recent attack by the APC’s unelected leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu against(sic) their former member, Chief Tom Ikimi, who he branded a ‘sellout’ and ‘unreliable’ personality because he left their fold.

“How come Tinubu did not realise that Chief Ikimi was unreliable and a sell-out who cannot be trusted with the leadership of the APC until when he decided to leave? Did Tinubu not know all these when Ikimi was selected to lead the negotiation for the merger agreement that resulted in the formation of the APC?

“The APC has refused to address the issues of lack of internal democracy, religious and ethnic segregations, promoting of violence and other entrenched anti-people tendencies raised by those who left its fold.

“Instead, it has resorted to cheap blackmail, propaganda and character assassination to divert attention. This shows the APC as a party of frustrated politicians attempting to use their mastery of the act of deception to hoodwink Nigerians.

“However, the recent confession by Tinubu that the APC National Convention was manipulated to stop Chief Ikimi, from emerging as the National Chairman clearly underscores the party’s undemocratic stance; the hollowness of its selection processes and the readiness to stifle democratic quest among its members,” the PDP said.

The PDP described the APC as a party where individuals crown themselves national leaders without recourse to appropriate democratic process.