2019 Polls: PDP Slamrs Rtd Generals For Endorsing Buhari
BY EDMOND ODOK, ABUJA – As the plethora of endorsements thickens across party lines, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has accused ex-military officers who endorsed President Muhammadu Buhari’s second term bid of being insensitive to the debilitating security situation and abject poverty in the country.
The party maintained that no general worthy of his rank would endorse the President’s quest for another four year term going by the current worsening level of insecurity in Nigeria.
In slamming the 71 retired Generals for what it described as name dropping and a self-serving project, the PDP insisted that since the President assumed office in 2015, it has been from one crisis to another, with innocent Nigerians being the worst for it by paying with their lives.
National Publicity Secretary of the party, Kola Ologbondiyan, said it was regrettable that Generals have suddenly woken up from slumber as they lost their voices while carnage was going on, with officers and men of military and sundry agencies were being killed by armed bandits and insurgents across the country.
According to the PDP Spokesman, “We consider this endorsement as names dropping, just to create an aura that does not exist around President Buhari.
“Young officers are being killed and no General has spoken on how to curb the insurgency and banditry. Is it now that Nigerians are tired of the governance style of President Buhari that Generals will be endorsing him?”
Ologbondiyan further said it was unfortunate that bandits are taking over Zamfara and even Katsina, the home state of Buhari, adding; “The PDP does not believe any General worth his salt will do that.”
The opposition party also condemned allegations by Information Minister, Lai Mohammed, linking the PDP to so-called plots by hostile foreign security forces to undermine the current administration. Ologbondiyan urged Nigerians to dismiss the Minister’s unsubstantiated claims that was merely aimed at serving the selfish interest of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The PDP image maker said it was instructive that each time the Information Minister speaks, he would inadvertently expose the unholy plot of the APC for all discerning Nigerians to see.
“Each time Lai Mohammed speaks, he comes out to make allegations that in a way reveals the plan they are making.
“Not long ago, he accused the opposition of a plot to bring people from Niger Republic to disrupt elections but at the end, who brought people from Niger Republic? It was President Buhari.
“If he claimed that the opposition is planning to scuttle the polls; like President Buhari, we are not aware,” Ologbondiyan said
PDP tackles INEC, APC govs on ad-hoc polls staff
He also accused APC governors of forwarding their party members names to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for engagement as ad-hoc staff during the forthcoming elections.
“The PDP alerts Nigerians that INEC has been taking directives from the Presidency and the APC on how to manipulate our electoral process at various levels.
“To this end, INEC has collected a list of people that will serve as electoral officials, including ad-hoc staff and returning officers at the polling units, from APC state governors and candidates, across the federation, on the directives of the Buhari Presidency.
“The PDP is already privy to how the lists were populated with APC members and agents of the APC candidates, after clearance by the APC leaders in various states.
“The PDP vehemently rejects this wicked plot by the Presidency, which is tailored to ensure institutional manipulation of the electoral process, including accreditation, voting and collation of results at the polling units, which is the base of the elections.
“The PDP holds that by following the directive of the APC in such dubious rigging scheme, INEC Chairman, Prof. Yakubu Mahmood, has violated section 29 (1) of the Electoral Act (as amended) and shows that he is in clear deficit of the required political will to conduct a credible, free and fair election.
“This is especially in the light of the boasting by agents of the Presidency and the APC to give the INEC chairman what they describe as the “Onnoghen treatment”, and frame him, if he fails to comply with their rigging plans,” the PDP Spokesman alleged.
Ex-Generals’ endorsement
The PDP’s reaction came on the heels the reported visit of retired military officers from the Army, Navy and Air Force to the Aso Rock Villa where they threw their weight behind the re-election bid of President Buhari.
Among the 52 retired Generals, who endorsed President Buhari in Abuja on Monday, were: one Vice Admiral, two Lt-Generals, 15 Majors General, two Rear Admirals, eight Air Vice-Marshals, 12 Brigadiers-General, three Commodores, nine Air Commodores, and 17 former Military Governors and Administrators.
Led by former Military Administrator of Lagos State, Brigadier General Buba Marwa (rtd), the ex-Generals’ list had names such as former President Goodluck Jonathan’s Minister of Police Affairs, Navy Capt Caleb Olubolade, and former Chief of Naval Staff, Admiral Jubril Ayinla.
Addressing Villa correspondents on their mission, Gen Marwa, who currently heads the Presidential Advisory Committee on elimination of drug abuse in the country, said the group’s endorsement of Mr President for a second tenure was informed by his fulfillment of promises made as well as general performance of the present administration.
