Ibadan meeting: PDP govs blast APC interim leadership over criticism

Governors of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have taken exception to the claim by the interim leadership of the All Progressive Congress (APC) that their recent meeting in Ibadan, Oyo State, was a jamboree, saying that the stance shows the ruling party is insensitive to the sufferings of Nigerians.

Speaking on behalf of the governors, the Director-General of the PDP Governors Forum (PDP GF), Cyril Maduabum, in a statement, on Wednesday, blasted the Secretary of the APC Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC), John Akpanudoedehe, for making the claim, describing the interim party leadership as an illegal contraption.

The opposition governors rejected Akpanudoedehe’s assertion that the present administration had achieved many successes in upgrading infrastructure, implementing electoral reforms and dealing with the farmers/herders perennial clashes around the country.

The PDP GF statement read: “The attention of the PDP – GF has been drawn to a statement credited to the Secretary of the illegal APC Caretaker/ Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee, Senator John Akpanudoedehe while reacting to the patriotic positions of the Forum at its Ibadan meeting.

“He was quoted as saying that the Ibadan meeting of the PDP-GF was a mere ‘political jamboree and its outcome a waste of time, with no substance.’ He further claimed that Buhari’s government has done a visible job in upgrading the country’s security architecture, governance, electoral reforms, and addressing perennial farmers and herders clashes.

“It is most disheartening that an officer of an illegal, unelected and unlawful APC contraption is living in a fancy world. If one may ask, where did President Buhari do Electoral reforms in the last 6 years other than vetoeing 2 bills sent to him by the 8th NASS on Electoral reforms?

“How has the country’s security architecture been improved by President Buhari other than in the imagination of Sen Akpanudodehe? Is he really serious that security has improved under Buhari? What concrete measures has APC government taken to curb Herders/Farmers clashes other than inciting and ridiculous statements regularly dished out from two Presidential aides on behalf of the so-called PresIdency?

“Is it not a hallmark of how low our politics has sunken for an unelected Party Officer to rubbish the efforts of patriots to find lasting solutions to the Security and economic challenges facing the nation? Is he not aware that issues of restructuring, devolution of powers, state policing proposals and ranching, have been endorsed by the Nigerian Governors Forum (with 21 APC Governors), Northern Governors Forum (with 13 APC Governors) Southern Governors Forum (with 7 APC Governors,); Arewa Consultative Forum and even the El Rufai Committee?

“Perhaps, because the Caretaker Committee is not elected and consequently, devoid of any democratic mandate, as required by the Nigerian Constitution, they seem to be insensitive to the feeling and suffering of Nigerians under APC misrule especially the insecurity and economic challenges facing the nation?

“The PDP Governors Forum Communique had called on Mr President, to summon the Nigeria Police Council which is constitutionally mandated to organise and administer the Nigeria Police Force, a statutory organ of the state comprising of Mr President as Chairman, the 36 State Governors, IGP and Chairman Police Service Commission as members, that has practically not been meeting since 2015, to begin to grapple with the immediate problems of policing, pending a constitutionally based restructuring.

“How can a meeting of 15 State Governors that made concrete suggestions on how to improve the almost hopeless Nigerian condition under the APC Government be termed a Jamboree? Can a meeting that called for a speedy passage of the Electoral Act, de-escalation of tension in Nigeria, the equipping, welfare, training financing, and stoppage of personal attacks on the Nigerian Police Force be termed a Jamboree and a waste of time?

“No wonder that after more than a year of usurping the offices of the APC National Executive Committee, the Caretaker Committee is unable to organise a National Convention and had to take the unprecedented step, just this week of describing those who sought for the holding of the APC National Convention, as ‘the handiwork of political jobbers’ and ‘fifth Columnists.’

“The illegal APC Caretaker/ Extraordinarily Convention Planning Committee extended their 6 month mandate to One year. Is the inability of APC to constitute a Board of Trustees since 2014 going to be repeated for its National Convention? Maybe if the Committee faced its unlawful mandate squarely it would not be making reckless statements.

“This time calls for statesmen and patriots to work together to rescue Nigeria.”

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Ibadan meeting: PDP govs blast APC interim leadership over criticism

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