Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), yesterday, claimed the caution by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, against making comments on the state of the nation, is an indication that the ruling party is jittey over the petition challenging the outcome of the 2019 presidential poll.
The PDP, in a statement, by Kola Ologbondiyan, said Atiku’s comments on national issues have been patriotic and within his constitutionally guaranteed freedom of expression as a citizen. It noted that none of the statement so far made by Atiku fell within the realm of “felony” in anyway, as insinuated by the APC.
It urged President Muhammadu Buhari and the APC to get ready “for justice” rather than allegedly seeking ways to frame up the former vice president.
“Intelligence available to the PDP largely posits that the threats against Atiku Abubakar emanated from certain persons around the Buhari Presidency who are jittery that President Muhammadu Buhari’s defence is collapsing at the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal, for which they have become desperate to use underhand methods to stop Atiku Abubakar.
“The PDP invites Nigerians to note that the renewed allegations against Atiku Abubakar came after a witness told the court, as has been publicly reported, that the Army never required any enlisted officer to submit his WAEC certificate, in total contradiction to claims that Mr. President’s certificates were in the custody of the Army.
“Moreover, the APC is reminded that while the PDP was in power, it never gagged the APC and its leaders, including President Buhari, from exercising their freedom of speech and freedom after speech, in line with our laws.”
The PDP recalled that when Buhari was in opposition, he made over 160 statements, including alleged “inflammatory remarks like the one that called on his supporters to take their fate in their own hands.”
The party added that the Federal Government under its watch never, for once, threatened the president for any of his comments.
“Furthermore, the PDP notes the reference by APC to President Buhari as a ‘sitting’ President. Our party, however, states that what Nigeria needs at a time like this is a working President, not a President that sits down while our country becomes the world headquarters of poverty; not a President that relaxes in an arm-chair while insecurity festers and our economy continues to nosedive to the extent that Ghana has overtaken our nation as the number one recipient for Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in West Africa,” the PDP stated.