PDP has magic wand to reverse APC failure -Wike

 

.Democratic practices declining sharply under APC – Ayu

 

Obiora Ifoh, Abuja

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike says the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has the capacity to reverse the suffering caused Nigerians by the rudderless administration of the All Progressives Congress (APC) led Federal Government.

 

 

 

Governor Wike made the assertion at the inauguration of Ahoada-Ekpena Road project in Ahoada East Local Government Area of the State on Thursday.

The governor pointed out that it is maladministration that has cost the APC gross failure, which has increased sufferings for Nigerians because they are lost on ideas and lack leadership audacity.

Governor Wike assured that the PDP remains the only hope of Nigerians because it has the magic wand to change the current sufferings they experience.

“You have seen the failure of the APC Federal Government. They make promises upon promises, but what we are getting is failure upon failure.

“So, all of us must brace up to say this suffering that God has helped us to survive, we cannot allow it to continue.

“The mere fact that God has made us to survive it does not mean that you’ll continue to suffer that way. PDP has the magic wand to change the failure of this APC led government at the federal level.”

Governor Wike opined that with the non-performance of the APC, Nigerians are better judge to know the difference between the PDP and the APC.

He asserted that PDP remains the only party that can bring about a positive change across the country.

He said the appropriate time for Nigerians to brace up to end the suffering is in 2023, when they would be expected to mobilise themselves to vote out the bad government during the general election.

“Continue to have faith in PDP. It is the only party that has hope for Nigerians. You have tried another party at the national level and it has failed you.

“Time has come that Nigerians must brace up and say look, we cannot continue with this. You have come out in your large number today to receive us for this commissioning.

“You can’t complete this without also mobilising yourselves in 2023 to make sure that you vote out bad government.”

Speaking further, Governor Wike said he has fulfilled every promise made to Ekpeye people who have also stood with the PDP over the years.

Governor Wike stated that his administration has classified six traditional stools in Ekpeye land to first class.

According to him, a number of development projects across sectors have been delivered in the area, that also include the siting of a campus of the Rivers State University to transform socioeconomic activities in Ahoada Town.

The governor said the dualisation of the Ahoada-Omoku road when completed soon will transform the area.

Performing the inauguration of the 2.4km long Ahoada-Ekpena Road project, former Governor of Kaduna State, Senator Ahmed Makarfi acknowledged that the development pattern adopted by Governor Wike is balance.

 

 

 

Senator Makarfi, who noted that development projects are spread across Rivers State with the rural communities benefitting as much as the cities, said it is what Nigeria needs to experience to move it forward.

 

 

 

“The pace of project execution and commissioning in Rivers State is unprecedented in any State in this country.

 

 

 

“The kind of development going on here is a balanced development. You see development in the cities, you see development in the rural areas.

 

 

 

“Development in all areas of infrastructure and social services, be they roads, schools, hospitals and social programmes.

 

 

 

“That is what we need in each state. That is what we need in this country. We need balance development that will take Nigeria forward.”

 

 

 

Senator Makarfi bemoaned the deplorable security situation, particularly in North -Western Zone of the Nigeria where President Muhammadu Buhari comes from. According to him, it is regrettable that under Buhari’s watch, insecurity in the zone has lingered.

 

 

 

While commending Governor Wike for the level of security achieved in Rivers State, Senator Makarfi said PDP needs to return back at the federal level to ensure safety of life of all Nigerians.

 

 

 

“You mentioned issues of security, you are largely secured here compared to where I come from. Of course, it’s not PDP governing there. And we are not all secured all over the zone, which is the North-West Zone.

 

 

 

“We are largely insecure and we have a president from that zone. It is regrettable. Therefore, the only way out is for PDP to come back to power. And we shall come back to power by the grace of God.”

 

 

 

Rivers State Commissioner for Works, Elloka Tasie-Amadi provided the description of the Ahaoda-Ekpena Road project.

 

 

 

Tasie-Amadi said the road that is 2.4km long, 8m wide, has 4.8km of drains which was built by an indigenous contracting firm, KN Services.

 

In another development, The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr. Iyorchia Ayu, has accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of compromising Nigeria’s democracy, saying democratic values have declined sharply under its presidential stewardship.

 

Ayu made the accusation while receiving a seven-man delegation of the European Union Election Observer Mission (EU-EOM), led by the Chief Election Observer, Ms. Maria Arena.

 

Describing the PDP as a “party that believes fiercely in democracy and its transparent processes,” the national chairman said the PDP was proud that for 16 years, it not only safeguarded Nigeria’s democracy, but it also set-up institutions that deepened and strengthened it.

 

A statement issued by his Special Adviser on Communication and Strategy, Simon Imobo-Tswam, quotes Ayu as saying it was regretful that rather than improve on PDP’s legacy, Nigeria’s hard-won democracy was witnessing a steady depreciation under the APC.

 

The statement reads in part: “We are worried that instead of strengthening the democratic process, which will better serve the people, we are seeing a sustained decline in those democratic practices.”

 

He listed areas of dissatisfaction to include: “The conduct of compromised elections, the use of security agents to attack judges, to attack citizens instead of protecting them, and to subvert the electoral processes.

 

“We have evidence and we stand by our position. These are not just empty pronouncements,” he emphasized.

 

He reminded the delegation that its report on the 2019 general elections reflected these drawbacks that the party was complaining about, and insisted that, “we will keep complaining as long these undemocratic practices subsist.”

 

The statement reads further: “We believe we won the 2019 presidential elections. We have the evidence. But justice was not done. Now that we are moving towards another election in 2023, it’s very important that we stress the need for the electoral umpire to be genuinely independent as its name implies.”

 

On the recently held municipal elections in the FCT, Ayu reiterated that PDP won all the six (6) Area Councils, but was short-changed by awarding it only three chairmanship seats.

 

According to him, “When you look at the results of the councillorships, we won 44 seats against the ruling party’s 18. In the municipal, we won all the councillorships. So, to go to the rural areas and begin to intimidate voters and manipulate the process is something that we are worried about. And if it continues as a trend, it will subvert the electoral process.”

 

Ayu used the occasion to decry the harassment of party faithful by security agents in the just held Supplementary Election in Imo state, saying the party has written a petition about it to INEC, and if nothing positive comes out of it, the party would seek legal redress.

 

He appealed to the EU-EOM to take special interest in the governorship elections in Ekiti and Osun states scheduled for June and July respectively and make its observations available to INEC and other stakeholders with a view to making the 2023 general elections free, fair and credible.

 

Earlier, the EU-EOM Chief Missioner, Maria Arena, said the delegation was at the PDP national secretariat as part of its follow-up on its earlier visit as well as to identify opportunities and challenges ahead of the 2023 general elections.

 

Other members of the delegation were Alexandre Borges Gommes, Mette Bakken, Hannah Roberts, Denis Pitit, Paulo Barroso Simons and Osaro Odemwingie.