Buhari has lost popularity even in his own party - PDP

macfranc007 March 01, 2018 Nigeria News today & Breaking news ▷ Read Nigerian newspapers 24/7 Adeola Opeyemi

- PDP national secretary said the APC is damaged and can no longer be considered as a credible platform

- The PDP said the ruling party is on shaky ground and the president has lost his popularity in the party

- The party urged members of APC to defect before it's tool late

The Peoples Demoratic Party (PDP) said the outcome of the recently concluded National Executive Council (NEC) meeting of the All Progressives Congress is a prove that the ruling party is sinking and is no longer a credible platform for any good politician.

The national secretary of the PDP, Kola Ologbondiyan, made this statement on Wednesday, February 28, in Abuja, Tribune reports.

Ologbondiyan said: “Nigerians watched with rude shock as President Muhammadu Buhari, the African Union anti-corruption champion, directly superintended over the worst kind of corruption in a political party by overthrowing its constitution and democratic processes, all in the bid to shut out other contenders in the Presidential race, a development which further confirms that the President has lost popularity even in his own party.

“We invite all to note that whereas, the APC constitution provides for a four year tenure for officials of its organs and enshrined a re-election or reappointment at the expiration of the said tenure, the Buhari Presidency muzzled the APC NEC and imposed an illegal one year tenure extension for the Chief John Odigie-Oyegun-led National Working Committee, a fiat that is not provided for in the party’s constitution.

“The APC is so dysfunctional that under the grip of the Presidency cabal, the party in contravention of its own constitution does not have a Board of Trustees (BOT), which explains the reason it lacks conscience and failed completely in delivering good governance to the nation.

“Worst still, while its constitution provides for quarterly NEC meetings, the party has only held five since its formation in 2014.

“From the outcome of the Tuesday’s APC NEC meeting, it is clear that the party has finally collapsed, lost all democratic credentials and can no longer provide level playing ground for its members or even other Nigerians to freely aspire for any position of their choice, particularly, the Presidency, Governorship and National Assembly positions in the 2019 general elections.

“It is now certain that the APC is no longer a credible platform but an appropriated one, where only those anointed by the Presidency cabal can have the opportunity to aspire for any position within its ranks. The APC has been seized and is irredeemably damaged ahead of the 2019 general elections.

“Furthermore, the confusion and lawlessness that were the hallmarks of the outcome of the APC caucus and NEC meeting signpost the failures inherent in the incompetent, blundering and corrupt Buhari-led administration which has brought so much hardship and violence to our dear nation.

“This gives a strong insight into why the APC government was not able to adequately aggregate the issues, assemble the right economic team and muster the desired expertise, with appropriate programs and policies to run the much desired productive government in almost three years."

The statement urged members of APC to defect to the PDP before the ruling party boat sinks completely.

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“We therefore urge all Nigerians of good faith still in the APC to note that their platform has lost it all and as such take the bold steps to save our nation’s democracy.

“On our own part, the repositioned and rebranded PDP remains open as the only credible platform for the much desired new national political engagement where all Nigerians can freely and democratically aspire to any position of their choice, be it the highest in the country without any let or hindrance," the statement reads.

NAIJ.com previously reported that the deputy national publicity secretary of the APC, Comrade Timi Frank, has expressed disappointment in the decision taken by the party's NEC, which extended the tenure of the Chief John Odigie-Oyegun -led NWC for another twelve months.

According to Comrade Frank, with its decision, the APC leadership has proven to the world that it does not respect its own laid down rules and guidelines which he noted does not give room for such decision.

In a statement sent to NAIJ.com on Wednesday, February 28, in Abuja, Comrade Frank described the tenure elongation decision as laughable, adding that the main opposition People Democratic Party (PDP) is far better than APC when it comes to internal democracy.

Comrade Frank give reasons why his party could be voted out in 2019 on NAIJ.com TV