The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, yesterday, accused national leader of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu of hauling insults on the party (PDP) in a bid to curry political relevance.
This is even as the party noted that by travelling to Mecca, at this Ramadan period, just to meet President Muhammadu Buhari and “engage in gossips, invectives and diatribes against the PDP, Asiwaju Tinubu has further demonstrated that he has nothing to offer towards the development of our nation.”
In a statement issued by the party’s spokesman, Kola Ologbondiyan, the party chided the former Lagos State governor for travelling to Saudi Arabia allegedly for political reasons.
The statement read: “It is atrocious that at the time other leaders are in the Holy Land offering prayers and supplications for our nation, Asiwaju Tinubu is in Mecca for photo-ops, playing dirty politics and hauling insults at other Nigerians just to curry relevance before President Buhari.
“The party notes that nothing but sheer hypocrisy would push Asiwaju Tinubu to engage in unholy praises of a failed administration in a desperation to avert the purported threats by certain agents of the Presidency to expose him.
“This is the same Asiwaju Tinubu, who, in January 2018, at the 15th Annual Daily Trust Dialogue, berated the Buhari administration for its nepotism, incompetence, corrupt oil subsidy regime; blaming it for the high-level poverty in our country and counseled Nigerians to be guided by their conscience in electing leaders in the 2019 general elections.
“Asiwaju, in criticizing the Buhari administration held rightly that ‘too much political and economic power resides in the hands of too few. This result in a society described by too much of unemployment, inadequate infrastructure, too little food, yet too much poverty.’
He then added correctly that under President Buhari, ‘rather than becoming a joyous nation, Nigeria has become a cruel playground where the fears and concerns of the average person get exploited but their interests never get promoted.’
The PDP therefore lambasted Asiwaju Tinubu for making allusion to its determination with Nigerians to retrieve Atiku Abubakar’s stolen Presidential mandate at the court, adding that no amount of blackmail can detract from this resolve. The party cautioned Asiwaju Tinubu to call himself to order, particularly as Nigerians, including members of his party, the All Progressives Congress, APC, have seen through his power-grabbing antics and are now determined to give him the back seat treatment.”
Meanwhile, the Federal Capital Territory Command of the Nigeria Police Force has planned traffic diversion from routes leading to the venue of the Presidential Election Tribunal at the Court of Appeal in Abuja, saying it is to avert possible clashes between supporters of the All Progressives Congress and the Peoples Democratic Party.
The FCT Command said the traffic diversion today would be on the GoodluckEbele Way and Shehu Shagari Way in the Maitama area where the tribunal is to sit, noting it was part of its “proactive measures to beef up security at the venue.”
The FCT Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Anjuguri Manzah, stated this in a release, that members of the public are advised to use alternative routes to their destinations today.
Manzah said, “Ahead of the sitting of the Presidential Election Tribunal at the Court of Appeal on Wednesday, the FCT police wish to inform members of the public that there will be a diversion of traffic at Goodluck Ebele Way and Shehu Shagari Way.
“While apologising for the inconveniences this might cause those who ply the said routes to their respective offices and business points, the command states that the gesture is part of proactive measure to beef up security at the venue.
“It is to forestall any act that could disrupt the tribunal sitting and result in the breakdown of law and order; especially clash between supporters of both parties. In view of this development, members of the public are advised to use alternative routes to their destinations today. The command reiterates its commitment to the protection of lives and property in the Federal Capital Territory.”