From Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), yesterday, dismissed statement by the Presidency that the All Progressives Congress (APC) swept last weekend by-elections.
The PDP, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, said the claim was a desperate measure to divert attention from the alleged failures of the Federal Government.
The opposition party accused Buhari of abandoning governance to assume the role of spokesman for the APC.
“The PDP asserts that President Buhari has by this confirmed that he has, indeed, become a lame duck president, having abdicated his presidential responsibilities of securing the nation and managing the economy to issuing press statements for APC and struggling for media space, as spokesperson and image launderer of the party.
“Perhaps, Mr. President’s handlers ought to have informed him that out of the six senatorial by-elections, the PDP freely swept three in free, fair and credible contests, while the APC only muscled the other three in polls that were marred by manifest irregularities and rigging.”
The party claimed it was in clear lead in Zamfara where the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) returning officer, Prof. Ibrahim Magatawa, openly betrayed alleged plot to manipulate the Bakura State Constituency by-election.
It accused the APC of allegedly rigging the by-elections in Katsina, Kogi, Borno and Lagos.
According to the PDP, the ruling party has “ only confirmed its heightened unpopularity, given the failures of its administrations, both at federal and state levels, including wrecking our economy and pampering terrorists, bandits and kidnappers who are ravaging our communities and murdering our compatriots in the most vicious manner.
“Indeed, no well-meaning Nigerian can truly support such a corrupt party and incompetent government that have not only failed, but has also roundly betrayed our nation, looted our treasury, destroyed our pride as a country and brought so much hardship and suffering to the people in a space of five years.
“It is, indeed, appalling that at a time Nigerians expect Mr. President to frontally tackle the escalated insecurity, under his incompetent watch, particularly, in dealing with the recent massacre in Borno State, he is more interested in praise singing of a party that has been rejected by Nigerians.”