Politics
Party Blasts APC Over Performance Claims
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has berated the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, over the performance claims by the All Progressives Congress (APC) administration, saying the only legitimate achievement of the ruling party is corruption.
PDP in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Hon Debo Ologunagba, on Monday, dismissed the press conference addressed by the Minister of Information and Culture, describing his claims as another anthology of lies.
According to the PDP, the hurried press conference is another desperate and disoriented stunt by the APC administration to divert public attention from the exposed corruption records of the APC national leadership.
The major opposition party also lambasted the minister over alleged attempts to divert public attention from the manifest collapse of security, command and control structure under President Muhammadu Buhari.
It also lamented the alleged excruciating economic hardship, hunger and other life discounting experiences being faced by Nigerians daily because of severe food crisis, lingering fuel emergency, high cost of essential commodities and services, closure of schools, insecurity and mass killing, collapse of healthcare system and decayed public infrastructure under APC.
The opposition party described as the height of impunity and arrogance the claims by the Minister of Information and Culture, that the APC government had achieved food sufficiency, particularly in rice production.
The statement partly read “A bag of rice which sold for N7,500 under the PDP now sells for over N30,000, a measure of beans which sold for N350 under the PDP now sells for over N1000, a measure of garri which sold for N120 under the PDP now sells for N700, a bottle of palm oil which sold for N250 under the PDP now sells for over N1000.
“In the same vein, a kilo of meat which sold for N700 under the PDP now sells for N3000, a liter of petrol which sold for N87 under the PDP now sells for as high as N400 to N500 while a liter of diesel which sold for N110 under the PDP now sells for over N800, yet Lai Mohammed provocatively claims that Nigerians are better off under the APC.
“Nigerians know better and the question to ask is, Is your life better now in 2022 under the APC than it was in 2015 under the PDP?
“It is ludicrous and insensitive that the APC government went to the media to list non-existence roads, bridges, agricultural and health projects as achievements. More pathetic is the APC’s attempt to claim credit for development projects initiated and implemented by successive PDP administrations including our railways, aviation, agricultural, healthcare, education, telecommunications, banking and manufacturing sectors, among others”.
PDP said it was laughable that the APC government was also claiming credit for critical projects in various parts of the country which were being funded by resources mobilized by the PDP administrations.
It insisted that, the only legitimate achievements of the APC government include its corruption record (second most corrupt in West Africa and 154 out of 180 in Global Corruption Index), over 33 percent unemployment rate, a weakened currency at over N500 to a dollar, N33 trillion foreign debt and still counting and the siphoning of over N16 trillion by APC leaders.
PDP cautioned the APC that its continued arrogance in failure was having a toll on Nigerians and the consequences were better imagined.
During a press conference held in Owerri, the coalition called the campaign a “dangerous and shameful display” designed to distract the public from the governor’s performance in office.
The CSOs directly linked the Greater Imo Initiative (GII) —the group that made the allegations on September 4, 2025—to Governor Uzodimma, describing the group as his “mouthpiece and attack dog.”
“Every word spoken against INEC was spoken on his behalf.
“By falsely alleging that Professor Yakubu has an alliance with Dr. Amadi to compromise the 2027 elections, Uzodimma has not only maligned a man of proven integrity but also assaulted the very foundation of our democracy”, said Dr Agbo Frederick, speaking for the coalition.
The coalition described Professor Yakubu as a “beacon of electoral professionalism” and called the attempt to soil his reputation “defamatory and a national security risk.”
They also defended Dr. Amadi, a “respected development scholar,” stating that the governor’s accusations were “laughable, desperate, and dangerous.”
The CSOs see the motive behind the campaign as an attempt to “silence the dissent, intimidate the opposition, and divert attention from the governor’s abysmal record in office.”
The coalition issued four key demands to Governor Uzodimma: An immediate retraction of the false and defamatory allegations against Professor Mahmood Yakubu and Dr. Chima Amadi.
- A public apology to both men within seven days, to be published in at least three national newspapers and broadcast on major television networks.
- An end to diversionary tactics and proxy propaganda.
- A renewed focus on governance, including addressing insecurity, unemployment, and poverty in Imo State.
The CSOs warned that failure to comply would force them to “review our position with a view to seeking legal redress from Governor Uzodimma for defamation, false accusation, and reckless endangerment of lives.”
“Governor Uzodimma must be reminded that he did not find himself in the seat of power to chase shadows.
“We call on all Nigerians to reject Uzodimma’s diversionary antics as they are nothing short of desperate plots by a government terrified of accountability”, the statement concluded.
In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC expressed concern that preventing the senator from resuming her legislative duties violates democratic principles and disenfranchises her constituents.
“The suspension, having been imposed by the Senate and not a court of law, has lapsed. Any further attempt to prevent her from resuming is therefore both illegal and morally indefensible,” Mallam Abdullahi said.
The party noted that denying Sen. Akpoti-Uduaghan access to the chamber silences the voice of the people who elected her, adding that the withdrawal of her salary, aides, and office access during the suspension amounted to excessive punishment.
The ADC also criticised the Clerk of the National Assembly for declining to process her resumption on grounds that the matter was before the courts, arguing that the Clerk’s role was administrative, not judicial.
“Administrative caution must not translate into complicity. When the administrative machinery becomes hostage to political interests, the institution itself is diminished,” the party stated.
Highlighting that Sen. Akpoti-Uduaghan is one of only four women in the 109-member Senate, the ADC warned that the handling of the case sends a discouraging signal about gender inclusion in Nigerian politics.
“Any action that resembles gender intimidation of the few women in the Senate would only discourage women’s participation. Nigeria cannot claim to be a democracy while excluding half of its population from key decision-making spaces,” Mallam Abdullahi added.
The ADC insisted that Sen. Akpoti-Uduaghan be allowed to resume her seat immediately, stressing that the matter was about more than one individual.
“What is at stake here is not just one Senate seat, but the integrity of our democracy itself,” the party said.
