APC says Secondus’ win proof PDP has ‘corruption in its DNA’, as PDP fires back, brands APC ‘a fraud’

The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has reacted to the emergence of Uche Secondus as National Chairman of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), saying “the PDP has once again displayed itself to the generality of Nigerians that it is a Party with corruption deeply rooted in its DNA.

The statement, issued by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, came following Secondus’ victory at PDP’s Saturday convention amid allegations of vote buying and rigging.

But pushing back on the APC’s characterization of its convention, the PDP dismissed the APC’s claims and branded the party a “fraud”.

In a statement by the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Kola Ologbondiyan, the party said the APC had failed Nigerians and lacked the credibility to discredit its convention.

Read also: ANALYSIS: 7 things we learnt from PDP Convention

The full versions of both statements can be found below.

APC’s statement:

In reacting to revelations of how money-for-votes and systematic rigging was brazenly perpetuated during the National Convention of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the All Progressives Congress (APC) is mindful of the popular axiom: “A leopard cannot change its spot”.

The abnormalities that trailed the PDP National Convention have further exposed the PDP as a Party not ready and willing to change. Indeed, the PDP has once again displayed itself to the generality of Nigerians that it is a Party with corruption deeply rooted in its DNA.

Again, it is tragic that the PDP which used to pride itself as “the biggest political Party in Africa” has now been reduced to a regional party. By frustrating South West Chairmanship candidates, it is unfortunate that the PDP has decided to punish the South West for not voting for the Party in 2015.

We urge members of the PDP that can pass the integrity test to join the APC so that we can together bring about the much-needed Change the country deserves.

PDP’s statement:

PDP Convention: APC Jittery, Clutching On Straws.

Our attention has been drawn to a statement credited to the spokesman of the All Progressive Congress (APC) Malam Bolaji Abdulahi, wherein he criticized the conduct of the elective National Convention of our great party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

It is indeed laughable that the APC which has roundly failed in not only managing the affairs of the country but also its own internal issues would recourse to panic mode just because the PDP has succeeded in uniting its fronts by conducting of a very credible elective National Convention.

We were very much aware of the plots by the APC to scuttle the convention and failing it has resorted to a failed attempt to discredit an elective convention that has been adjudged as creditable, novel and laudable by political stakeholders and lovers of democracy across the nation.

This unwarranted attack is only symptomatic of a party that has lost control and only clutching on straws for survival having been outrightly rejected by Nigerians.

Is it not disgusting, reprehensible and embarrassing that the APC that has repeatedly failed to hold meetings, congresses and convention in the last three years and has flagrantly continued to violate its own constitution is questioning our party’s rights to perform her legitimate and constitutional obligation?

Perhaps APC leaders have never read Article 25 (A)(i) of their party’s Constitution which stipulates that “the National Convention of the party (APC) shall be held once in two years at a date, venue and time to be recommended by the National Working Committee (NWC) and approved by the National Executive Committee (NEC) subject to the giving of the statutory notices to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and at least 14 days notice given to members eligible to attend.”

Which impunity could be higher than APC violating its constitution? It is strange that APC could be moralizing on the principles of social justice whereas its actions against Nigerians are a complete departure from the norms.

It is important for this spokesman of a failed party and his pack of incompetent members to reminisce on the needless pains and suffering they have inflicted on Nigerians rather than being jittery over the successful outcome of the PDP’s elective national convention.

Nigerians have come to discover that APC is a fraud, an organization of deceitful characters who have failed to keep a single of its countless promises made to the citizens.

It is no longer news that the nation is drifting under APC and the PDP has come to the rescue. We must therefore remind the APC that the era of deceit, trickery and scaremongering, which has been the hallmarks of their government, is gone and Nigerians are just waiting to kick them out come 2019.

 

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