The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Presidency has responded to the latest castigation of President Goodluck Jonathan by the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), describing the opposition party as a gathering of “doomsday prophets.”
ACN had on Sunday criticised the president for some of his alleged failures, especially the failed subsidy removal of January 2012 and the many unfulfilled promises that followed in the year. It concluded that the government of President Jonathan is anchored in deceit and propaganda.
But reacting to the ACN’s accusations on Monday, the PDP, through Chief Olisa Metuh, its national publicity secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh, described Jonathan’s tenure so far as a success, saying it is more sensible to commend his government than castigating it like the opposition parties.
The party also claimed that Nigerians are satisfied with the president’s method of governance and his handling of the economy because they have resulted in the growth of the economy despite global meltdown.
The statement stressed that President Jonathan should be commended for successfully handling the power generation crisis in the country.
“We all know what the situation was when he assumed office. Nigerians are in a better position to access the position of things,” the PDP statement argued.
“On security, the president has managed the situation very well. Terrorism is alien to Nigerians, but that notwithstanding, the security agencies have done a great work in managing the challenges of insecurity in the country.
It added that it is unsurprising that ACN and other opposition parties often resort to insults and doomsday predictions, since they have exhibited no capacity to govern due to their failure to suggest solutions to existing national problems, which is the hallmark of credible opposition parties all over the world.
“To recycle insults and engage in doomsday predictions is a sign of a confused and demented opposition totally attuned to preferring anarchy as a system of government. Nigerians have acknowledged the heroics of our patriotic security operatives in tackling the terror attacks never envisaged a little over two years ago.
“It is sheer wickedness and downright unpatriotic not to appreciate and commend men who are battling at the risk of their own lives to protect our families and our great country.”
PDP added that the least that ACN and other opposition parties can do is to console families of fallen heroes and families of other victims, instead of playing cheap and dirty politics with human lives. It sarcastically urged ACN to continue to patronise generators imported by its leaders who are desperate to sabotage the ongoing power reform.
“To the rest of Nigerians, we ask you to keep faith with our honest and humble president in his selfless agenda to transform our power sector and other vital sectors of our economy,” the statement added.
In his own reaction, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Affairs, Dr. Doyin Okupe described the Goodluck Jonathan administration as God-fearing, and one that would not engage in falsehood to advance its level of performance and achievement.
“This administration will not engage in deceit as claimed by the ACN,” he said. “No amount of insult, blackmail or falsehood by any mischievous group will succeed in deterring the administration from succeeding in its obligation with the Nigerian people.”
Okupe, who described the criticism as baseless, unnecessary and a failed attempt to gain cheap publicity where it does not exist, declared also said: “Our achievement in the power generation and distribution cannot be faulted. The revelation in the agricultural sector is an open secret for all to see and this has been recognised internationally.
“The position by the ACN that the achievements of the Jonathan administration are full of deceit is laughable and can only come from a derided mind.”
