PDP says Buhari has never been committed to true federalism

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has reacted to President Muhammadu Buhari’s recent call for true federalism, claiming that he has never been committed to true federalism.

In a statement on Tuesday by PDP spokesman, Kola Ologbondiyan, the party charged the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led administration to stop posturing as if they truly have the mandate of Nigerians for a second tenure in the Presidency.

Recall that President Buhari had during the Progressive Governors Forum Honors Award called for true federalism, stating that it is necessary at this stage of Nigeria’s political and democratic evolution.

The opposition party, however, has accused the President of trying to use another promise of true federalism to earn legitimacy for a “rigged election”.

According to PDP, the “ploy” is dead on arrival, as Nigerians are very much aware that Buhari and his party, the APC, have never shown any commitment towards true federalism.

The party once again accused the President and the APC of rigging the February 23, 2019 presidential election, which it claimed was “won” by its candidate, Atiku Abubakar.

READ ALSO: In shocking move, Buhari calls for ‘true federalism’ in Nigeria

It also claimed that Nigerians have already bought into Atiku Abubakar’s blueprint for governance, particularly his “manifest genuine commitment” towards the implementation of true federalism and that they cannot fall for empty promises by the President and his party.

The statement said, “President Buhari ought to have known that Nigerians have seen through APC’s empty promises and beguilements and as such, cannot jettison the presidential mandate they gave to Atiku Abubakar, who they know has the commitment and will power to implement true federalism in our country, when he retrieves his mandate at the courts.

“Nigerians have not forgotten how President Buhari in his 2018 New Year address, rejected the idea of restructuring, by declaring that ‘When all the aggregates of nationwide opinions are considered, my firm view is that our problems are more to do with process than structure’.

“They can also recall how on June 9, 2017, the Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed, in a Radio Nigeria (FRCN) interview programme, had stated that restructuring is not President Buhari’s priority.

“Nigerians can also recall how the Kaduna State governor, Malam Nasir el-Rufai, on June 29, 2017, during an interview on Channels TV, denied that the APC promised restructuring and described Nigerians, who are taking his party to task on the issue, as ‘political opportunists and irresponsible’ people.

“Our citizens have not forgotten ‘to hell with restructuring’ outburst of Borno state governor, Kashim Shettima, a statement that captures the mindset of the totality of APC leaders towards true federalism and restructuring”.

The PDP charged President Buhari’s handlers to help him use the remaining part of his tenure to find solutions to the problems caused by his “incompetent” administration, instead of engaging in unnecessary acceptance shopping mechanisms for a “rigged” 2019 presidential election.

“Nigerians are determined that Atiku Abubakar will retrieve his stolen mandate at the court and they look up to him for a transparent, honest and purposeful administration, committed to repositioning our nation, including building institutions that will engender true federalism, good governance, national cohesion and economic prosperity in our nation,” the PDP added.

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