PDP accuses Buhari of breeding more corruption; says reptiles, monkeys have joined

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Thursday accused the President Muhammadu Buhari led federal government of breeding more corruption than was obtainable when it (the PDP) was in power.

Picking from the recent confession of a Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) official who said a mystery snake swallowed thirty-Six Million Naira (N36,000,000) kept in a safe, the party said even reptiles and monkeys are not spared from the corrupt tendencies of the incumbent administration.

Recall that Senator Shehu Sani also recently revealed that monkeys invaded a fellow senator’s farm house and carted away Seventy Million Naira (N70,000,000) belonging to the Northern Senators Forum.

Chairman of the party, Prince Uche Secondus said this in his opening address on Thursday during the party’s 78th National Executive Committee (NEC) Meeting held at its National Headquarters in Abuja.

The meeting was attended by state governors, former governors, ministers state chairmen and other party leaders across the country.

Read full address below as obtained by Newsclickng.com

Address by Prince Uche Secondus,

National Chairman, Peoples Democratic Party on the occasion of the 78th National Executive Committee (NEC) Meeting of the Party at PDP National Headquarters, Wadata Plaza, Abuja, 22nd February, 2018.

Protocol

With great sense of responsibility, I welcome you all to this 78th National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting, the first since our election at the December 9, 2017, National Convention of our great Party. Let me use this opportunity to thank all stakeholders and our teeming Party members for the confidence reposed in us at the Convention.

I commend our governors for their giant strides in their various states. PDP States have become trail blazers and poster states in Nigeria. It has also become evident that PDP members at the National Assembly stand out through their contributions. They have ensured that democracy thrives in the country.

I thank the Deputy Senate President and other members for standing on the side of the people always and for stabilizing democracy in the country.

Since we came on board, the National Working Committee (NWC) has hit the ground running. We have embarked on series of consultations with critical stakeholders including former presidents, National Assembly Caucus, Governors and Elder Statesmen to build consensus on the direction of the Party. We held a retreat for NWC members and State Chairman to develop a blue print and fine tune the agenda for the Party.

Our Publicity Directorate has been strengthened to cope with the challenges of an opposition party. We are happy that the impact is already being felt. Similarly, the NWC has been interfacing with stakeholders in states with outstanding congresses with a view to concluding all outstanding congresses.

The Governor Seriake Dickson led Reconciliation Committee has recorded tremendous progress in ensuring that estranged members are assuaged. Also, all the Zonal Reconciliation Committees are enjoined to intensify their efforts to ensure that all grievances are addressed.

I beckon on all our members to put aside all bickering and join forces to rebuild the Party. We look forward to the return of all our members. We are embarking on massive membership registration to open up the Party to all who desire to join. Soon the electronic/on-line membership registration will be launched.

This NWC is devolving powers to the zones and state chapters as part of efforts to return the Party to the people. We are also taking steps to conclude all outstanding congresses.

Dear Party Leaders, we must mobilize, mobilize and mobilize. The Youth and Women Directorate is taking the lead. We must relocate to our wards and let the people know that the PDP is repositioned and has all it takes to deliver good governance to the people. This is not the time to be Abuja politician. This is the time to work. We must rein in our individual ambitions and work for the success of the Party. PDP is the best platform to salvage the country. We have the experience and have learnt from our mistakes.

You are aware that the last convention amended sections of the PDP constitution. The NWC has printed the amended constitution and will drive the business of the Party in line with the provisions. Ours will be a rule driven Party. One of the aims of the amendments is to broaden the base of decision making and ensure the positions of the majority of members prevail. In this connection, the National Caucus, NEC and Board of Trustees are being reconstituted in accordance with the provisions of the amended constitution. I urge the zonal leaders and state chapters to re-submit names for the BoT as appropriate. The next BoT meeting will be conducted based on the provisions of the constitution on membership.

Your Excellencies, Distinguished Party leaders, Nigeria today is at the crossroads. The economy is in tatters, the security situation has become a nightmare. Killer herdsmen are competing with Boko Haram and kidnappers on who would inflict most pain on hapless Nigerians. On Monday night Boko Haram terrorists attacked Government Girls Secondary School Dapchi, Yobe State and as we speak reports say about ninety-four (94) students were still missing.

Our teeming youth are hopeless with no jobs. Their parents and guardians keep losing their jobs by the minute. Since 2015, more than sixteen (16) million Nigerians have lost their jobs. According to the World Poverty Clock, an organization that assesses poverty across the globe using credible data obtained from the United Nations (UN), International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank, Nigeria would become the extreme poverty capital of the world by the end of this month. It will overtake India as the country with the most people in extreme poverty.

This demonstrates how badly the APC Federal Government has mishandled Nigeria, an economy they took over from the PDP in 2015, as the largest (economy) in Africa.

The so-called War Against Corruption has bred more corruption. Even reptiles and monkeys have joined! Discerning Nigerians had made it clear that what has been going on is the persecution of members of the opposition under the guise of anti-corruption war while monumental corruption is being perpetrated by officials of the government.

Just yesterday, Transparency International again vindicated our position that corruption was getting worse under this government. In its 2017 index, TI said while