APC, presidency bungling national unity, PDP alleges

By Lateef Ibrahim, Abuja

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Sunday alleged that the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Buhari Presidency are bungling the nation’s unity through their exclusionist policies, divisive comments, disregard for rules, political witch-hunt and failure to bring perpetrators of violence to book.
The party said this in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr Kola Ologbondiyan in Abuja.
The PDP lamented that all efforts by well-meaning Nigerians and groups to ensure unity and harmonious co-existence in Nigeria are being destroyed by the APC and the Buhari administration through their brazing acts of nepotism, total disdain for merit and complete disregard for the federal character principle in appointments, projects and programmes, to the vexation of the generality of Nigerians.
The party further alerted that President Muhammadu Buhari’s habitual body count and reference to the sordid experience of the unfortunate Civil War, particularly to the youth, is rather fueling disunity, as his administration is still perpetuating similar, if not worse injustices, inequality, corruption and impunity that lead to disunity.
According to the PDP, “It is sad that Mr. President is always trying to face the nation backward instead of looking ahead to a glorious future.
“This is a sorry situation, which further confirms that the Buhari Presidency and the APC have nothing cheering to offer to the future of our nation.
“The PDP holds that in gathering the youth to engage in civil war recounts, while failing to take concrete actions to end the injustices of his administration and prosecute perpetrators of political and sectional violence under his watch, President Buhari is indeed doing more harm than good to the psyche of young Nigerians.
“Exclusionist policies as well as repugnant protection of killers and corrupt elements, which have apparently become policies of the APC, are the very marked difference between the APC and our party, the PDP, which promotes inclusiveness, equal opportunity, justice, fairness, equity, regard for merit, federal character principle and security of citizens, which fostered national stability under the PDP.
“Alas, the APC has done our nation a lot of harm. Indeed, there is no way the unity of our nation can be guaranteed under the APC that thrives in witch-hunt, violence and division; and which has not taken any step to demand for the prosecution of perpetrators of the mass killings in Benue, Kogi, Nasarawa, Kaduna, Kano, Taraba, Yobe, Zamfara, Bauchi, Katsina, Adamawa, Ekiti, Niger, Borno and other parts of our nation.
“If the Buhari Presidency and the APC are indeed committed to the unity of our nation, they should start by retracing their steps by adhering to rules; ending all their exclusionist polices and accord equal commitment and opportunity to all sections of our country as required by the constitution.
“The Buhari Presidency must take steps to put a stop to political witch-hunt, which has become a policy of the APC administration as well as end the reported body language that appears to guarantee protection to marauders and perpetrators of violence”, it said.
It therefore advised that President Buhari should be ready to allow the prosecution of APC leaders accused of involvement in the looting of over N14 trillion from the national coffers under his watch.
The PDP also tasked the President to be ready to commence the arrest and prosecution of all those behind the bloodletting that has turned the nation into a large funeral palour under his administration.