SAN FRANCISCO, September 19, (THEWILL) – The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has advised the All Progressives Congress (APC) to stop tagging members of the opposition as sponsors of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB).
In a statementon Tuesday, signed by the spokesman of the PDP, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, the party told the APC to look inwards in the search for sponsors of IPOB saying it was constrained to react to a statement credited to the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, who had accused those he described as treasury looters of sponsoring IPOB’s secessionist agitations in the South East.
The party said that the Minister tried to shift blames of the poor handling of the agitations of IPOB by the current administration to an opposition saying it is worrisome that government blamed opposition parties, which they have conveniently labelled looters, for the activities of IPOB.
The party accused the Information Minister and the APC of having formed the habit of blaming a “superficial opposition” for the continuous gaffes of the Federal Government declaring that no external enemy was working against the APC government and advised the party to do soul-searching and correct the anomaly.
“We had advised not a few times, that the APC should look inward and seek solutions to its self-induced challenges in government caused by its unpreparedness for governance; but since the Party seem set for self-destruction, we shall not relent in helping to expose their ineptitude to the Nigerian populace,” the statement read.
“We noticed that the Minister who is much known for his unbridled capacity for constant polarization of the polity rather than ardency in the proper dissemination of government policies and information to the populace, tried once againon Sunday, to shift blames of the poor handling of the agitations of IPOB by the current Government to an opposition that exists only in his imagination.
“It is disheartening that rather than accept blame for its ineptitude, the APC Government has continued to blame enemies, real or imaginary for its woes.
“How on earth will a serious minded government blame opposition parties which they have conveniently labelled ‘looters’ for the activities of IPOB? But we take solace in the fact that the APC might actually know the looters, as the party has clearly demonstrated its penchant for giving covers to people considered as corrupt.
“Much as we will continue to harp on the one sided corruption fight of this administration, we wish to urge the APC to look inwards in locating the looters using their ill-gotten wealth to sponsor separatist agitation against the government of the day.
“It is instructive to note that we are aware of the internal crisis rocking the amalgam of interests that formed the APC and the struggle for power within the government, as the noise of discontent keeps rising on a daily basis from the party.
“We wish to put on record that agitation for actualisation of the State of Biafra was a total silent voice while the PDP was in power because of the government of inclusiveness we provided for Nigerians who were made to experience what a genuine national government meant.
“The APC should therefore, learn to mould itself into a real national party, provide good leadership for the people and let the generality of Nigerians feel safe.
“Finally as a party, we had condemned and we are still condemning separatist movements tailored towards balkanising the nation. We therefore make bold to further state, that the APC policies have been the catalyst for IPOB problem, and as such, the party should do soul searching and correct the anomaly.
“No external enemy so to say, is working against this government. The government is its own worst enemy.”
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