A seeming un-presidential outburst by President Muhammadu Buhari on the residents of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, has sparked off a hot reaction from the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
President Buhari described residents of the federal capital territory as ‘’necessary evil’’ for not voting for him during the February 23 presidential election. He spoke while assuring the FCT residents that his administration will do everything possible to protect them.
Buhari spoke when he received the FCT residents who paid him Sallah homage at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. He said, ‘’I want to appreciate the number two man of the country (Prof. Yemi Osinbajo) because he knows what we are going through very quietly. I am very pleased that you came with this very powerful constituency…
‘’I Appeal to you to remain exemplary so that those under you will know that the country is doing very well. If you break down and complain the impact will reverberate all over and then, government will not be popular and whatever efforts we are making will not be appreciated.’’
PDP National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, said in a statement that branding the FCT residents as necessary evil because they did not vote for him in the February 23 Presidential election was un-presidential.
‘’Such resort to branding of Nigerians for rightly exercising their rights is completely un-presidential and must be condemned by all’’, PDP said, lamenting that the statement of President Buhari was inciting, divisive and capable of demonising innocent compatriots and setting them up for victimisation by overzealous agencies.
According to the PDP, ‘’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 us, 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.’’
The party further lashed out at President Buhari for stating that to make FCT secure is to make myself secure and the Vice President.
The party holds that it is 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.
The PDP maintains that the security of lives of all Nigerians, ought to have been paramount to the President and not determined by inessential factors, if indeed he has the interest of the people at heart.
The PDP therefore calls on President Buhari to apologise to Nigerians for this divisive comment, and accordingly 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.
