PDP Slams Buhari Over Attacks

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has asked the former Head
of State and Presidential Candidate of the Congress for Progressive Change
(CPC) in the 2011 general elections, General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd) to show
statesmanship in his assessment of the contributions of the PDP led Federal
Government to the cause of democracy and good governance.

In a statement by the National Publicity Secretary of the
PDP, Chief Olisa Metuh, the party said yesterday  that political differences notwithstanding,
it expected Buhari as an elder statesman and a former Head of State to
acknowledge the significant progress that Nigeria has made in internalising democratic
culture since the return of democracy in 1999.

“There is still room for improvement no doubt, but Nigeria
under the PDP has recorded tremendous gains in terms of advancing the rule of
law and the fundamental rights of Nigerians, in deed, in other indices of good
governance which democracy is usually expected to guarantee.”

According to the PDP, while on a visit to Kano last week,
General Buhari had said of the PDP led Federal Government; “under normal
circumstances, we are supposed to work strictly within the provisions of the
constitution, but this is Nigeria and nothing is perfect and the only thing
they have not tampered with between 1999 to date in Nigeria is the Holy Koran.”

“We are shocked that an elder statesman could paint such an
ugly picture, tissue of lies, of his dear nation just to advance his political
fortunes. We shudder that a former head of state under whose watch freedom of
expression landed many Nigerians in detention on account of his obnoxious
decrees, and who now enjoys such freedom, is utterly ungrateful to the efforts
of our great party in advancing the cause of democracy.”

“If the CPC leadership does not understand what the rule of
law is, let’s oblige them with little details,” the statement said.

“Today, criticisms, even destructive ones are hurled at the
PDP led federal government and no one is harassed because we uphold the
inalienable rights of the people which is at the heart of democracy .We throw
our doors open to criticism so that we accommodate alternative views.”

“Today, the PDP loses elections and winners are sworn in and
we do not use our incumbency at the centre to truncate the democratic wishes of
the people. However, in the states held by the opposition parties, local
elections are massively rigged as witnessed recently in Lagos and Ogun States
and where we defy the odds to emerge victorious like in Imo State, machinery of
government is used to frustrate the expressed wish of the people.”

“The rule of law if we must state further is that in our
drive for transparency and accountability, some leaders of our party have been
caught by the long arm of the law and we never obstructed the course of
justice.”

“Do we need to add that the PDP led Federal Government does
have other preference to the rule of law and that is why we enacted the Freedom
of Information Act so that every Nigerian will not be in the dark as to how the
nation is run, and so that they can be armed to demand for what is right.”

“ Must we also tell the leadership of the CPC leadership
that in our congresses and convention, deference to the rule of law is the
word. And that notwithstanding our size, we successfully manage dissenting
views and establish strong leadership not dogged by factions like the CPC.”

“And for General Buhari, the evangelist of rule of law,
Nigerians wish to know if unlawful incitement of the populace to violence and
attack on the institutions of democracy is part of the rule of law?”

“ Is the imposition that marked the congresses of the CPC in
2011 which is still hunting the party till date an act in rule of law?”

“ We wish to advise General Buhari to concentrate in giving
Nigerians his alternative ideas and plan of action to what the PDP has at
present or even engage us in a public debate on the

values of good governance. We pray that his party or
whatever alliance they are negotiating presents Buhari once more as a
presidential candidate so that Nigerians will make their choice”.

“However, we wish to remind the former Head of State that
Nigerians are not fools and that they know what Nigeria was yesterday
especially under regimes like his and what obtains today. There is no doubt
that even the blind can distinguish between the daylight it is today and the
deep dark night it was hitherto”, the party said.