…claim is ridiculous, not true says Presidency
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has alleged that President Muhammadu Buhari’s scheduled 10-day vacation in London was an alibi to exonerate him from alleged “planned political illegalities,” “forceful invasion” and “mayhem” which it said were about to be visited on the National Assembly.
The party said it was aware of plots which it alleged had been perfected in a meeting, on Wednesday night, between the Presidency and some All Progressives Congress senators, to forcefully reconvene the Senate, with protection from security agencies, with a view to impeach Senate President Bukola Saraki and his Deputy, Ike Ekweremadu.
The National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan, in a statement in Abuja on Thursday, also alleged that the PDP was aware of the desperation to illegally take control of the National Assembly.
He said this was part of the design to undermine the nation’s democratic institutions and completely foist a dictatorial regime on the nation.
He said, “The planned invasion is also a bid to cover the atrocious and humongous corruption of the Buhari administration, which the National Assembly is set to expose.
“The PDP has been reliably informed about how these APC senators, especially members of the Buhari Parliamentary Support Group, have been provided with huge sums of money, illegally lifted from repatriated funds, to carry out this nefarious act under the guise of urgent need to approve funds for the 2019 general elections.
“Having been demeaned by the widespread condemnation of the recent siege on the residences of the Senate President and Deputy Senate President, in addition to the invasion of the Benue State House of Assembly in a failed attempt to impeach Governor Samuel Ortom and forcefully take over the state, President Buhari is now jetting out of the country so as to appear innocent and oblivious of the political terrors about to be unleashed on the National Assembly.”
He reminded President Buhari and the APC that the PDP has taken over the Senate and that the party “is ready and able to protect our democracy with all instruments available in the constitution and parliamentary rule books.”
Meanwhile, Aso Rock has refuted claims by the opposition Peoples Democratic Party that President Muhammadu Buhari is embarking on a 10-day leave to create the stage for unconstitutional actions by the administration.
The claim was “ridiculous and a hollow narrative to garner cheap sympathy”, said Garba Shehu, senior special assistant to the President.
“That the President, himself a sworn democrat had handed power to his deputy without compulsion is itself exemplary and innovative, something that the PDP failed to produce in their sixteen years of monumental mismanagement and sadistic plunder.
“For the benefit of the doubters, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, the Vice President who acts in the absence of the President is a lawyer of the highest rank and a social rights crusader who had received local and international acclaim before he took the present office. It is inconceivable that this is the team to copy the bad manners cast in stone in the PDP.
“We welcome objective criticism and take them seriously and humbly, but Nigerians must by now be tired of a party, the stock in trade of which is to cry wolf where there is none, ostensibly to spread negativity and distract the President’s attention from the cleansing operations he has been mandated to carry out.
“We welcome objective criticism and take them seriously and humbly, but Nigerians must by now be tired of a party, the stock in trade of which is to cry wolf where there is none, ostensibly to spread negativity and distract the President’s attention from the cleansing operations he has been mandated to carry out.
“The President is carrying out difficult reforms for the future growth of the country, such as the implementation of the ease of doing business, the Treasury Single Account, TSA, the whistle-blower process, and hundreds of others, including the massive investment in rail, roads and power. If such reforms had happened in 16 years of the PDP, it would have made things much better for the country.
“Instead, they seem to be fixated with a desperate quest for power, nothing but power for its own sake because they have nothing to offer. They draw a sadistic pleasure when things appear to be going wrongly, yet they offer nothing by way of remedy or solutions.
“The whole country is fighting corruption and the ordinary citizen is happy about all that is happening. The economic parameters have changed for the better, a clear indication that the administration’s political and economic strategies are working but the opposition is not interested.
“If the PDP doesn’t have anything that would help our farmers, women, the common man and the youth, they should just keep quiet.
“In the end, one thing Nigerians should take away from the cacophonous falsehoods from the PDP and the tenants back in their tent is that they all fear one thing, that their old records will be reopened”.
