Opposition parties portraying APC in bad light despite achievements, says PGF DG

Salihu Lukman, director-general, Progressive Governors Forum (PGF), says opposition parties are portraying the All Progressives Congress (APC) and President Muhammadu Buhari in bad light despite their achievements.

Lukman, in a statement on Sunday, said the opposition parties were taking advantage of the passive official communication by APC and the federal government to achieve their negative objectives.

“A major gap being exploited by the opposition against the APC and the Federal Government is that official communication both by the APC and the Federal Government are passive and reactive,” he said.

“Consequently, the opposition is succeeding in taking advantage of this reality to unfairly portray both the APC and President Buhari in bad light.

“Efforts to engage Nigerians to secure ownership of policy initiatives are quite low, but quite some significant progress have been achieved.”

He said since 2015, the federal government had rolled out several initiatives to deliver on APC’s campaign promises targeted at strengthening Nigeria’s public service institutions.

He added that the “false narratives” against APC and Buhari are being promoted by the opposition to suggest that criminal activities of banditry started only when APC took control in 2015.

“In both the North-west and North-central, problems of cattle rustling were rampant. Kidnapping was also there in many parts of the South-South and Southeast,” he said.

“To worsen matters, there was the 2014 corruption case of 2.1 billion dollars meant for arms procurement, which was diverted by PDP-led administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan.

“It is true that the problem of cattle rustling in the Northwest and North-Central has graduated to banditry, and it is assuming a war situation.

“However, it should be recognised also that the fight against Boko Haram has made significant progress. Unlike before 2015 when most parts of the Northeast were under the control of insurgents, this is no longer the case.”

While acknowledging that there were still challenges in fighting banditry and insurgency, Lukman said the APC-led government was responding “creditably”.

He said for the APC to achieve the goal of producing a new Nigeria, it must be a party with a united leadership, disciplined and respectful.

He added that the process of re-organising APC’s structures must make the party functionally active in facilitating negotiations between leaders at all levels and that all agreements reached must be respected by all.

“It is respect for agreements reached by all that can produce a new Nigeria,” he added.

He appealed to the Mai-Mala Buni-led APC caretaker committee to conclude its assignment to amend the party’s constitution speedily.

Lukman added that the party should strengthen and prioritise processes of disciplinary hearings and enforcement of decisions.