APC, coalition of desperate politicians, says Tukur

The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, on Sunday dismissed the All Progressives Congress, as nothing but a desperate coalition with nothing to offer Nigeria.

He said the APC’s stock in trade included insults, lack of decorum and a desperation plan to take over power at all costs.

Tukur said this in a statement signed by his Special Assistant (Media), Chief Oliva Okpala, on Sunday.

The APC however asked Tukur to tell Nigerians what the PDP had done for them with the power it had held for 0ver 14 years.

Interim National Publicity Secretary of the APC, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said this in response to Tukur’s charge, in a telephone interview with our correspondent.

Tukur in the statement had said, “There is a desperate political coalition in the country now known as the APC; whose stock in trade is insults, attacks and lack of decorum because the party and her members have nothing to offer the people of Nigeria except only a desperate plan to take over power at all costs.”

He specifically urged the leadership of the APC to exhibit some sense of political decorum and decency in their style of politicking from this year 2014.

Tukur appealed to Nigerians to rise to the challenge of the year 2014 by dedicating themselves to the promotion of the culture of decency and decorum in politics.

He also advised that such dedication should also be evident in their social interactions and utterances.

According to him, this envisaged dedication to politics of decency and decorum is the only foundation that will guarantee respect for the opinions and principles of other persons, groups and associations.

He also advised politicians to embrace the politics of decorum in 2014 so as to avoid overheating the social and religious sectors of the nation.

The party chairman enjoined Nigerians to emulate the sense of acceptance of divergent views which, he noted, President Goodluck Jonathan epitomised.

But responding,  the APC spokesperson said, “I don’t think we want to open 2014 with this kind of brick-bats. Nigerians have clearly shown that they are no longer interested in this kind of very unproductive politics.

“What Nigerians expect Bamanga to do is to explain how in 14 years the PPP has  wasted opportunities to turn Nigeria around.

“Nigerians are not interested in whether there are rogues or thieves in one other party or the other. Nigerians are interested in what this political party has to offer.”

Mohammed explained that for 14 years, PDP rule had been a sad experience for Nigerians at all levels because it had been 14 unproductive years.

He observed that a visit to any state controlled by the APC had demonstrated how government could truly serve the people.

The party spokesperson also said what the APC had in store for Nigeria after  it formed government in 2015 had been clearly spelt out in its manifesto.

PUNCH