ABUJA-The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Sunday challenged the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to immediately test its popularity among Nigerians by conducting free, fair and credible local council elections in states under its leadership.
The party in a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbodiyan said its recent victory in Osun federal Parliamentary bye-election coupled with its success in recently conducted council polls in Ekiti and Delta States were a confirmation of its acceptance by the people.
“The APC is petrified because Nigerians have renewed their interest in the PDP as the only genuine people-oriented party.
“This new thinking among Nigerians has been clearly demonstrated with PDP’s sweeping victory in Osun senatorial bye election as well as the recent local council polls in Ekiti and Delta states.
“The landslide victories of the PDP in the recent elections are therefore incontrovertible response by the people not only to the achievements of our government in the States but also to the ideological disposition of the PDP as one genuine democratic platform where all Nigerians are free to socially express, politically aspire and economically flourish.
“We all know that the APC is mortally afraid of going into any election, particularly at the grassroots, as Nigerians across board are bitter with them for their deceit and the wrecking of our once robust economy.
“Nigerians are also at pains over the poor welfare direction of the ruling party which has resulted in the penetrating hardship now being suffered under the APC-controlled federal government misrule,” the statement read in part.
With barely a year to the general elections, the PDP reminded the ruling party not to entertain any thought of getting the people’s vote, adding that its failure to deliver on promises made remain fresh in the minds of the electorate.
The party added: “Today, the APC knows it cannot go back to the same electorate it scammed in 2015 with lies and empty promises; promises of bogus jobs, monthly stipends, free meals, free houses, reduction of fuel price, bringing the dollar to the same value with the naira and other phantom promises.
“The APC knows it cannot face the more than 8 million Nigerians it has rendered jobless with its reckless policies. They know that judgment awaits them from thousands of workers who were unjustly sacked in States where APC governors rule, particularly Kogi and Kaduna.
“The APC cannot also return to the States where countless helpless families’ breadwinners painfully paid the supreme price due to untold hardship under their misrule.
“The party also knows it cannot return to the families of those slaughtered in Benue, Taraba, Adamawa, Borno and other parts of the country by marauders encouraged and emboldened by the indifference of the Federal Government and the unguarded comments from unpatriotic Presidential aides.
“That is why instead of facing the people, APC governors, who are now scared stiff of the looming disgrace awaiting them, are busy running to Abuja for help, forgetting that the President Muhammadu Buhari-led Presidency will also face an inevitable crushing defeat in 2019.”
The statement further noted that come 2019, Nigerians would make informed decision having tasted life under the two parties.
“The fact is that Nigerians now know the difference between the anti-people, deceitful and inept APC and the democratic, development-driven PDP which, in its 16 years in power, led the nation to economic boom, cleared huge foreign debts, repositioned the banking sector, championed the telecoms revolution we all now enjoy, revamped the railways, built new universities, reformed the ports, facilitated unprecedented growth in small and medium enterprises and placed the nation as major global investment destination,” the party stated.
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