The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has berated President Muhammadu Buhari for branding residents of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja as “necessary evil” because they did not vote for him in the February 23 Presidential election.
The party said that such resort to branding of Nigerians for rightly exercising their rights was completely unpresidential and must be condemned by all.
The PDP said Buhari’s statement was inciting, divisive and capable of demonising innocent compatriots and setting them up for victimisation by overzealous agencies.
Moreover, the statement said, “President Buhari should note that he was not only rejected by FCT residents but also by an overwhelming majority of Nigerians across the states of the federation, who voted massively for the PDP, only for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to subvert the will of the people in his favour; consequent upon which our party and presidential candidate have headed for the retrieval of this stolen mandate at the tribunal.”
Furthermore, the PDP criticised President Buhari for stating that “to make FCT secure is to make myself secure and the Vice President”.
The party said that it was the duty of the President to provide security for all parts of the country, irrespective of where he and the Vice President reside or how Nigerians cast their votes.
PDP maintains that the security of lives of all Nigerians, ought to be paramount to the President and not determined by inessential factors, if indeed he has the interest of the people at heart.
It therefore calls on President Buhari to apologise to Nigerians for this divisive comment.
The party also urged Nigerians to continue in their determination to retrieve the stolen Presidential mandate at the tribunal, so as to have an administration that truly cares for the citizens, in line with the provisions of our laws.
