The All Progressives Congress has advised the Peoples Democratic Party to stop being “a crying baby” and come to terms with the “cold, hard reality that its fortunes have since plummeted” and that it is now in opposition.
This was contained in a statement in Abuja on Wednesday by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed.
Mohammed argued that the fact that the PDP devoted a substantial part of the communique issued after the inaugural meeting of its National Working Committee and Governors/Senators-elect, complaining about alleged harassment and intimidation by the APC, “when it should be strategizing about the daunting task ahead of it”, showed that the outgoing ruling party still did not understand the enormity of the challenges awaiting it as an opposition party.
It said the PDP was scared stiff of being in opposition, adding, “We don’t blame them as they have neither the capacity nor the commitment to be in opposition. A party that stood for nothing but looting and rent collection will naturally be afraid of being in opposition, where there is nothing to loot or rent to collect”.
The incoming governing party advised the PDP to understand that it was not by repeating obvious lies that an opposition party could be effective, but “by being creative, knowledgeable, resourceful and above all credible”.
The party added, “It is not by cheap blackmail, but by being resilient.
“This is why we wish to extend to the National Working Committee of the PDP a free orientation, just as we have offered the party’s spokesman a free crash course on how to be an opposition party spokesman. The theme of the orientation for the PDP NWC members will be ‘transiting from the ruling party to an opposition party’.
“In the first instance, there is no substitute for experience. Also, we believe that democracy will be deepened only when there is cooperation between the governing party and the opposition, hence the offer”, the APC spokesman said.
Mr. Mohammed further slammed the PDP for daring to complain of harassment and intimidation by the APC, saying if any party was guilty of harassment, intimidation and impunity before, during and after the 2015 general elections, it was the PDP.
He stated, “Have they so soon forgotten the reckless show of shame by their OPC lackeys with the full support of the Nigeria Police Force in Lagos or the mindless bombings and killings of APC members in Rivers and Gombe states, among others? Only on Monday, APC supporters were again reportedly killed in Rivers and Kaduna states.
“Haven’t the folks in the PDP seen the pictures being circulated of their (PDP) supporters brandishing machetes in broad daylight during the party’s campaign in Aba on Tuesday (April 21)?”
APC also described as laughable the allegation by the PDP that the APC was trying to turn the country into a one-party state by luring and making irresistible offers to the leadership of the PDP.
