The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Sunday berated President Muhammadu Buhari and the All Progressives Congress (APC) government over what the party considered as unrelenting culture of arrogance, impunity, and ‘criminal pillaging’ of national resources, at the detriment of the welfare of citizens. The party specifically berated President Buhari for abandoning Nigerians in their agony of fuel scarcity and went on two weeks medical vacation to London, the United Kingdom (UK).
The PDP in a statement by the National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, was of the view that there is a limit to what the people can bear under an administration that remains “arrogant, inhumane, unconcerned and insensitive to their plights occasioned by its misrule”.
The PDP declared that it is an “unpardonable dereliction of duty that while the nation is in turmoil and agonizing under a collapsed national grid, protracted fuel crisis, distressed aviation sector, plummeting currency, crippled production, and commercial activities, President Muhammadu Buhari remains aloof and “absent” as always”.
“The failure by President Buhari, who also doubles as the Minister of Petroleum Resources to take immediate action, other than the snobbish stance by his Presidency that “heavens will not fall” because of fuel scarcity amounts to daring Nigerians to do their worse.”
Ologunagba maintained: “It is often said that when a government abdicates its responsibility to the citizens at whose pleasure it should serve, then that government is complicit in the suffering of its people and a beneficiary of their woes.
“Sadly today, thousands of Small and Medium Scale Enterprises; the drivers of the economy are folding up daily, industries are relocating to neighboring countries, universities are on strike, the aviation sector is on the brink of collapse, our Railway is tottering to a halt due to lack of diesel, police are threatening to go on strike, insecurity is on the rise due to the collapse of the informal economic sector, yet Mr. President had time to holiday in England!
“If President Buhari could personally communicate on issues that concern his fizzling party, the APC, while in England, it is inconceivable that he failed and neglected, as always, to attend to life discounting experiences and pains encountered by Nigerians daily by the thoughtless and inhumane policies of his government.”
The PDP maintained: “President Buhari needs to be reminded of his duty to Nigerians, to in the least, show some empathy, competence, and concern as the country rapidly drifts towards a looming precipice.
“The frustration in the country is already degenerating into a nationwide restiveness that may result in the breakdown of law and order if allowed to fester.
“With petrol now selling between N400 to N500 per liter, diesel at over N800 per liter, kerosine at over N750 and aviation fuel at N670 per liter, millions of businesses, employment and sources of livelihood have collapsed in both urban and rural areas resulting in acute hardship and widespread social tension across the country.”
The PDP warned that the situation is getting to a boiling point and can trigger a nationwide agitation that might be worse than the October 2020 #EndSARS if not addressed immediately.
PDP, therefore, told President Buhari to take responsibility for the “criminal racketeering in his government by APC leaders, which has led to the crippling of the economy under the president’s watch.”
PDP counseled the president to “stop abdicating his duties” by sending his aides to issue wild claims, fake promises, and noncommittal apologies on the abysmal failures of his administration.
The President had apologized to Nigerians over the lingering fuel scarcity, among other socio-economic crises in the country.