Politics
Majority Of Nigerians Suffering Under APC Misrule – Atiku
The former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar has said that his victory as the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the 2023 election, is a victory for the party and the vast majority of Nigerians suffering under the misrule of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Speaking on Wednesday shortly after receiving his Certificate of Return at the party secretariat, Atiku said, “this victory is a victory for all of us, for our party, and for the vast majority of Nigerians suffering under the misrule of the APC. It was a collective effort, and I’m very grateful for everybody’s contributions.”
Atiku further said he was honoured and humbled to receive the certificate of return, adding, “I am honoured and humbled to receive this Certificate of Return having emerged as our party’s candidate in our just concluded special convention.”
The former Vice President attributed his emergence to the collective effort and thanked the National Convention Organising Committee led by the former President of the Senate, David Mark, for a rancour-free and successful convention.
The former Vice President also thanked the National Working Committee for how they had steered the affairs of the party.
He said: “I am particularly grateful that you kept your word and gave us contestants fair treatment, despite what might have been a difficult situation. Your integrity and even-handedness must be commended.
“My chairman, my dear friends, while I’m excited and happy for this opportunity to bear our party’s flag again, let us all remember that what just happened is a contest within a family to decide how to put our best foot forward.
“The main contest is the one to win the presidency of our country for our party. It will require the entire PDP family and other supporters and sympathizers. We must pull everyone together. Nobody should be excluded, I beg of you.
“I have already visited some of those who contested against me, as a way to lead in that effort to unify the party so that we can face our real opponents, defeat them in the elections and begin the process of rescuing and rebuilding this country from the colourless and dangerous APC misrule over the past seven years which is there for everyone to see.
“However, we should not take that or their defeat for granted. We must unite and work extremely hard for every single vote in this country. There is so much to do.”
Earlier in his remarks, PDP National Chairman, Senator Iyorchia Ayu, pointed out that a united party will take over power from a colourless, clueless APC government.
Ayu said that the presidential primary election where Atiku emerged as the winner was a victory for the party, as there was no victor and no vanquished.
He said: “Within the PDP family, we had a minor contest, a small contest within the family. There were no victors, there were no vanquished, and the party won. It is the party that won. Atiku Abubakar is not yet victorious. He has only been produced as our candidate, the candidate of the whole party.
“As we marched forward, we need all of you because each one of you had a supporter and all of you plus all your supporters, we want you all to fuse into one happy political family.
“It is this family that will face the battle ahead. We have only started a journey. We shall end this journey sometime next year. By the first of June next year, we should take over power from the colourless and clueless government that has destroyed this country.
“All of you are aware of what has happened to our country in the last seven years. I don’t need to repeat issues of insecurity, destruction of the economy, and total disunity of the country.
“We have never been as divided as we are today as a country. Families are divided, and communities are divided against each other. There is no trust among ourselves.”
Ayu assured that Atiku “will lead us to reunite the country. He will lead us to rebuild the economy. He will lead us to get rid of bandits and terrorists. He will re-enforce the armed forces. He will give us respect in the international community.”
The Tide source reports that Prof. Akinoso was elected alongside 38 other executive members of the party at the congress held on Saturday.
Other executive members are Dr Abiola Olaonipekun, who emerged as Secretary, Alhaja Latifah Latifu, Women Leader and Mr A. Adeleke, elected as Youth Leader.
It was learnt that the congress, which took place at the Obafemi Awolowo Stadium, Oke Ado in Ibadan, was attended by representatives of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the Police, other security agencies and prominent members of the party.
The election was supervised by electoral committee members, among whom were Prince Diran Odeyemi, who served as Chairman, Hon. Awoniyi Tolulope, Mr Babatunde Gbadamosi, Queen Stepheine Oyechere, Alhaji Yusuf Abidakun, Mr Olumide Aguda and Dr Phillips Adeniyi, who served as Secretary.
Prof. Akinoso, in his inaugural address, urged members of the party to set aside intra-party differences.
He advised them to concentrate their resources on the promotion of the party, saying, “The primary responsibilities of party executive members are to coordinate party activities, ensure harmony among members, and ensure party victory during general elections.
“Our immediate assignments are to key into INEC released 2027 general election time-tables. As directed by the National Caretaker Committee of PDP, our party e-membership registration starts next week. We must be fully involved and do a membership drive.
“A political party is only relevant and benefits its members if it wins the election. This is our goal. We should set aside intra-party differences; concentrate our resources towards the promotion of the party. We will make necessary consultations and dialogue to actualise this”.
President Tinubu disclosed this during an interfaith breaking of fast with senior journalists and media executives at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Saturday.
He also disclosed that his administration had opened up on the principles of true federalism to the extent that local governments now get direct allocation from the Federal Government.
“There’s no morning that I ever leave my house without going through the newspapers. It’s an addiction. I read all of you.
“It might not be in full detail, but headline, the one that would hit me and the ones that won’t.
“At the beginning of this administration, I was just a little bit stubborn, looking at opportunities to correct things and make life more easier for the downtrodden.
“We’ve opened up the principle of federalism to the extent that local governments are now getting their money, but how they use it is in your hands. So, don’t bombard me alone,” President Tinubu said.
The ruling party said the ADC had turned criticism of the APC-led administration into its operating manifesto instead of presenting concrete solutions to Nigeria’s economic challenges.
In a statement issued on Saturday by the APC National Publicity Secretary, Mr Felix Morka, the party dismissed the ADC’s interpretation of a report presented at a policy dialogue organised by Agora Policy which suggested that the country’s poverty rate had risen from 49 per cent to 63 per cent.
Mr Morka said the opposition party’s reaction to the report as a “damning verdict” on the government’s economic policies reflected either ignorance of economic realities or deliberate political mischief.
“The African Democratic Congress’ attempt to spin a recent report presented at the Agora Policy dialogue indicating a rise of poverty rate of 63 per cent from 49 per cent as a damning verdict on this administration’s economic policies speaks either to its shocking ignorance of economic policy or its wilful blindness to the justification for, and transformative impacts of, ongoing economic reforms,” he said.
The APC spokesman noted that the report itself recognised the necessity of reforms aimed at correcting long-standing structural distortions in the economy.
According to him, the ADC had failed to present any credible alternative policy direction for Nigerians.
“Clearly, the ADC does not recognise itself as a political party. The ADC has not articulated a single alternative policy position or prescription of benefit to Nigerians. Condemning the APC and its policies has become its operating manifesto,” Mr Morka said.
He explained that major economic decisions taken by President Bola Tinubu, including the removal of fuel subsidy and the unification of multiple foreign exchange windows, were necessary steps to rescue the country’s economy from collapse.
Mr Morka said the subsidy regime had for years placed a heavy burden on public finances, consuming trillions of naira annually while encouraging corruption, fuel smuggling and inefficiencies in the system.
He added that the reforms had helped redirect national resources to key sectors such as infrastructure, healthcare, education and social development.
The APC spokesman acknowledged that economic reforms often come with short-term hardship but stressed that the measures were essential to build a stronger and more resilient economy.
“Economic reform is never cost-free anywhere in the world. The transient hardship experienced by Nigerians was an inevitable cost of reforms meant to build and guarantee a better future for all Nigerians,” he said.
Mr Morka maintained that the country’s economic outlook was already improving, citing recent growth figures and stronger external reserves.
“Our economy has rebounded and is expanding steadily. The country’s Gross Domestic Product grew by 4.4 per cent last year and is projected to expand by 5.5 per cent this fiscal year, with foreign reserves now exceeding $50 billion,” he stated.
He also pointed to government initiatives designed to cushion the effects of economic adjustments on citizens, including cash transfer programmes, student loan schemes and the rollout of compressed natural gas (CNG) initiatives to reduce transportation costs.
Mr Morka reaffirmed that the APC-led administration would remain focused on rebuilding the economy and expanding social investments to support vulnerable Nigerians.
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