You can’t offer credible opposition, APC replies Atiku on ‘one-party dictatorship’ remark

The All Progressives Congress (APC) says Atiku Abubakar and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have proved incapable of offering Nigerians a credible alternative political vision as an opposition. 

On Tuesday, Atiku called on opposition parties to form a coalition against the ruling party, saying the APC is turning Nigeria into “a dictatorship of one party”.

Reacting to Atiku’s remark in a statement by Felix Morka, its national publicity spokesperson, APC said it is pitiful that Atiku would confuse the ruling party’s “wide acceptance” among Nigerians with “his irrational fear of one-party dictatorship”.

The party said the APC has implemented far-reaching electoral reforms unlike the PDP whose “impunity” for 16 years remains unforgettable.

“Perhaps, the Turakin Adamawa needs to be reminded that Nigerians are highly percipient and can differentiate between political deviance of PDP and demonstrable commitment of APC to deepening democracy and fostering our common good,” APC said.

“Before its epic defeat in 2015, the PDP proclaimed and flaunted its plan to rule Nigeria for a minimum of 60 years.

“At that time, Atiku was willfully blind to fear of a PDP one-party dictatorship but now appears to be under the influence of a distorted vision inflicted by the debilitating serial trouncing of his party at the polls.

“The PDP’s brigandage, impunity and profligacy of 16 years remain unforgettable. In its brief period at the helm, APC has implemented far reaching reform of the Electoral Act and introduced technological innovations, including the Bimodal Voters Accreditation System (BVAS) and the INEC Results Viewing Portal (IReV) all aimed at improving electoral transparency and deepening our democracy.

“Remarkably, Atiku and his PDP have not only consistently failed at the polls, they have proved incapable of offering a credible alternative political vision as expected of an opposition party.

“Instead, the PDP has sustained its free fall into the abyss of quicksand by its intractable internal contradictions and impoverished leadership.

“The PDP’s flagrant disregard for due process, another of its bane, is the reason the party fielded its National Secretary, Sen. Samuel Anyawu, as governorship candidate in Imo State in the just-concluded off-season gubernatorial election.

“As candidate, Sen. Anyanwu failed to resign his position as National Secretary as required by law. Is it any wonder that the Imo electorate rejected Anyanwu, who clearly did not have confidence in his own candidacy to quit his position as a party officer?”

The APC urged Atiku to concentrate “on repairing his damaged political psyche and attempt to revive his comatose PDP” and leave the ruling party out of their combined predicament.

“However, we welcome the former Vice President’s charge to opposition political parties to rally together to engage in opposition politics,” APC said.

“On our part, President Bola Tinubu will continue, undisturbed, to justify his electoral promises in the Renewed Hope Agenda as he builds a safer, stronger and economically vibrant country for the benefit of all. That’s what Nigerians care about, that’s what they deserve.”