NATIONAL leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, yesterday, took a swipe at the appointment of service chiefs and National  Security Adviser by  President Muhammadu Buhari, saying under the present administration, security of lives and property could not be guaranteed and the government was derailing in all ramifications.

Cautioning against what it termed the needless celebration by the All Progressives Congress, APC, over the appointments, the PDP said celebrating Monday’s appointment of new service chiefs and National Security Adviser, was totally premature considering the corresponding urgency of previous administration in this regard.
 

In a statement yesterday by PDP National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh, the party urged President Muhammadu Buhari to be careful with some of his aides and members of the APC that were capable of derailing his government, asking him to guard against propaganda and cosmetic governance.

The PDP noted that under the watch of President Buhari, democratic institutions were no longer free, with activities at the National Assembly disrupted, the nation’s electoral body has equally lost its independence following the appointment of an acting chairman, Hajia Amina Bala Zakari, who has been alleged to have very strong relationship with the President and key members of the APC, adding that under his government, there has been flagrant disregard for court orders.

However, the APC countered the PDP’s view, saying that the Buhari administration has remained focused, recording a series of achievements in the last six weeks.

Nevertheless, the Labour Party (LP) agreed with the PDP stance, saying the government is bereft of ideas.

According to PDP, President Buhari must not allow his government to be taken over by what it termed needless showmanship.

The PDP advised President Buhari to ensure that his works speak for him, adding that rather than focus on the promises the APC and the President made to Nigerians and on policy thrusts that would move the nation’s economy forward, “the APC has been made to be very high on propaganda, deceitful engagement and cosmetic governance.”

Metuh said: “We also wish to bring to your notice, Mr. President, that Nigerians are now agitated that this government has failed to hit the ground running as it promised. They are worried that the President who promised to unveil his cabinet two weeks after his inauguration in May, has, two months after, not been able to decide on key appointments such as ministers, Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Chief of Staff and advisers in key sectors of the economy.

“They are worried by the drifting of government business in ministries, departments and agencies due to the absence of political heads vested with coordinating important policies, which are now in tatters and taking its toll on the economy as indicated in the terrifying crippling of foreign and domestic investments and harrowing retrogression in the capital market which has continued to lose billions of Naira since May 29.

“Instead of engaging in pointless propaganda, the APC and the Presidency should be more concerned about the decline in the economy with the continued fall in the value of the Naira which has descended from under N200 to a dollar they inherited in May to all time low of N238 even in the face of the President’s promise to bring it to same value with the US dollar.

“Also, we wish to notify you that in line with your promises, Nigerians are still eager for information regarding the five million new jobs, monthly N5,000 each to 25 million poor citizens, monthly allowance to discharged but unemployed Youth Corps members, free meals to school children and bringing the Naira to the same value with the dollar, among other promises upon which you and your party gained access to power.”

Metu said though the PDP is still committed to offering constructive opposition in order not to distract or detract Buhari from delivering good governance to the Nigerian people, the records have to be set straight “because of the over zealousness of your spokespersons and some members of your party, the APC in dramatizing some imaginary achievements of your administration in a space of one month.

“We believe that one month is such a short time to assess any government, however, when this administration and your party started rolling out premature scorecards of imaginary achievements, it became necessary for us and indeed most Nigerians to X-ray them.

“While we appreciate the symbolic gesture by Mr. President in ‘cutting’ his N14 million annual basic salary by 50 percent, it should be noted that Nigerians would not be wavered by the N7million annual donation and rejection of official cars, and forget their expectations for the implementation of his long list of campaign promises for which he was elected into office.

“Moreover, Nigerians cannot be overwhelmed by the gestures especially given that they are pretty aware that the salary is a mere drop in the ocean of personal allowances and privileges that come to the president.

“They cannot, therefore, be deluded by impressions aimed to make government appear to be on course when it has only been a case of all motion, no movement, spiced with unnecessary excuses.

“Nigerians, going by feelers, have not been thrilled by such orchestrations as other leaders who at one time or the other adopted similar stance did not dither or become laid back, but hit the ground running with governance. What the citizens want is a government that is urgent in living up to its billings and campaign promises.

Responding to the PDP’s claim, National Publicity Secretary of the APC, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, in a text meassge, said the Buhari administration has settled down to business in a most focused manner.

His words: “To all non partisan Nigerians, the Buhari-led administration has been addressing in a very methodical way the challenges of insecurity, corruption and the economy.

“The bailout his administration has provided to states has calmed tension and averted a nationwide industrial unrest and his shuttle diplomacy and relocation of the Army High Command to Maiduguri has weakened the cohesive and organized striking capacity of the Boko Haram hence the resort to cowardly suicide bombings and attacks on soft targets.”

Mohammed argued that “the recent appointments of service chiefs will definitely quicken the death of Boko Haram while the new era of transparency has given a new fillip to the fight against corruption.

“The blocking of leakages has freed more money for the government to spend on the welfare of Nigerians while the Nigerian dream has been restored and all these was achieved within less than six weeks.”

Nigerians are no fools  — Nkire, APC BoT member

In like manner, a member of the APC Board of Trustees (BoT), Chief Sam Nkire, said: “It is funny for PDP to blame President Buhari for Boko Haram. This is a problem they nurtured for over five years. Only a foolish Nigerian will buy that story.  Nigerians are no fools. They know what pains and agony PDP caused them in the last 16 years. Nigerians trust Buhari to do the job and he is set to do the job in no time.

“On the issue of pay cut, APC believes pay cut is of the many ways to save money in government but not the only way. I advise PDP to prepare for the next election. That’s the best they can do for now.”