The leading opposition party, Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has accused the All Progressives Congress, APC, of standing in the way of the country’s cohesion, happiness and economic prosperity.
It argued that the ruling APC had, through its actions demonstrated that it was out to oppress and create chaos.
In a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan, the PDP said it had uncovered plans by the APC to extend the clampdown on opposition leaders to regular citizens.
It alleged that since the recent statement by President Muhammadu Buhari on his abuse of rights as a military ruler, there had been an escalation of clampdown on citizens, particularly, the opposition, in various parts of Nigeria.
The opposition party said it was instructive to note that since APC came to power allegedly by deceit and propaganda in 2015, it had done nothing except actions and comments that promoted hatred, violence and daily bloodletting among Nigerians.
PDP claimed that APC’s actions had been causing disharmony among arms and tiers of government in addition to undermining democratic and security institutions in the country.
“It is also on record that the APC has not formulated any clear-cut programme for good governance; it has never called its government to order in their recklessness, particularly, on the documented abuse of human rights and violation of our constitution and democratic order.
“The APC has never intervened in the bloodletting in various parts of the country, caused to fester by its incompetent and insensitive administration; it has remained aloof, giving credence to allegations that such disturbances serve its purpose of promoting confusion to frustrate the conduct of a credible, free and fair general elections,” PDP said.
It argued that despite attempts in blaming past administrations, it had become clear that the alleged on-going barefaced looting of national treasury, “particularly through the sleazy oil subsidy regime under President Buhari’s supervision, coupled with government’s gross incompetence and official high-handedness, are directly responsible for the economic hardship and escalated violence in our nation today.”
It argued further: “The harsh policies of the APC administration, which has scared away investors and President Buhari’s unrelenting de-marketing of our nation in the international arena, have led to the massive closure of businesses, unprecedented loss of jobs, mass unemployment, dearth of foreign investments and total stagnation of our economy.
“Up till now, the APC has not offered any explanation to the leaked memo detailing the looting of N9 trillion at the NNPC, the budget padding in ministries, departments and agencies, stealing of billions in the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) and Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) intervention funds.
“We want the APC and its leaders to know that they are not bigger than our nation. Nigerians have already reached a consensus against them and no amount of harassment, arrests and trampling will cow the citizens in their resolve to vote out APC in 2019.”