PDP senators draw battle line with Buhari, vow to frustrate him

The stage appears set for a long drawn battle between the Federal Government and the legislative arm of government, as Senators elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, on Wednesday, vowed to henceforth frustrate every communication from President Muhammadu Buhari and his All Progressives Congress, APC government to the Senate

According to the PDP Senators, their decision to cease further cooperation with the Buhari administration was because of the “unwarranted threats to the legislative arm of government, particularly to the Senate leadership by the executive arm, as well as the on-going intimidation and persecution of the opposition PDP by the ruling APC.”

The Senators stated this at a press conference in Abuja to formally announce their withdrawal of support in all forms for the ruling government

The PDP lawmakers accused the president of selective persecution of their party members in the name of fighting corruption while turning deaf ears on his party members who have corruption allegations hanging on their necks.

Reading a prepared statement containing caucus resolutions at their Tuesday’s meeting, Deputy Senate Minority Leader, Emmanuel Bwacha, accompanied by over 30 PDP senators to the press conference, insisted that the president’s actions through the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, had become worrisome to well meaning Nigerians over the safety of democracy in the country.

The PDP Senate caucus also frowned at the freezing of the personal account of Ekiti State Governor, Ayo Fayose by the EFCC allegedly on the order of the president, and challenged President Buhari to extend probe of campaign funds beyond the PDP controlled states.

The statement read: “We, the PDP senators met in our caucus meeting yesterday 21st June, 2016 and deliberated on the state of the nation, and to examine our position on unwarranted threats to the legislative arm of government, particularly to the Senate leaadership by the executive arm, as well as the on-going intimidation/persecution of the opposition party (PDP) by the ruling party (APC)

“Arising from the forgoing, the caucus passed resolutions condemning in totality the orchestrated plot to remove the President of the Senate and his Deputy, through an illegal means.

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”The deployment of state instruments of coercion to intimidate an independent arm of government like the legislature is now a major threat to the survival of our democracy.

”The glaring witchhunt of perceived opposition elements in the polity is invitation to anarchy.

‘”The war against corruption should not be selective, must be fought with sincerity and not the politics that is being played now with ‘war against corruption’. We therefore condemn in strong terms the sentiments displayed in fighting corruption. e.g. freezing of account of the Ekiti State Governor, is clearly a political witch hunt.

”Since the war against corruption has devolved into probing campaign funds, it should be extended to all parties, APC inclusive.

“The PDP Senate Caucus therefore wish to warn the Executive arm of government to act with caution on matters that have the potency to subvert our democracy. The Executive must therefore desist from these acts of lawlessness that are only typical in a military dictatorship.

”The caucus therefore wish to advise the APC led government to concentrate on the existing economic and security challenges that are threatening our survival as a nation.

“Finally, the PDP Caucus wish to reiterate that we will no longer support the APC government until they cease the belligerent attitude towards PDP members.

The resolution was signed by the Senate Minority Leader, Godswill Akpabio and the Deputy Senate Minority Leader, Emmanuel Bwacha, Others are Senator Phillip Aduda, Senate Minority Whip and Biodun Olujimi, Deputy Senate Minority Whip.

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