National insecurity: Buhari, PDP in war of words

It was indeed war of words between the ruling PDP leadership and the former Head of State, General Muhammdu Buhari over the issue of corruption and insecurity in the country.

It was the veteran presidential candidate who threw the first ‘shot’ by accusing the PDP, saying it had further complicated the suffering of Nigerians through corruption and insecurity.

But the PDP replied that the former leader had lost touch with contemporary politics. The party asked if Buhari was still in politics.

Meanwhile, General Buhari, speaking at his Kaduna office while receiving members of the Buhari Vanguard who paid him a courtesy visit said the opposition parties have to come together to rescue Nigeria from the PDP.

He said, “Since 2005, we realized that the only way we can stabilise the system is for the opposition parties that have representation in the legislature, either at the state or federal level, to come together and face PDP, because the PDP has no intention of social justice, PDP has no intention of accountability. PDP is not interested in security.”

General Buhari, who lamented the infrastructural decay under the ruling PDP, asked Nigerians, “What was the position of Nigeria before 1999 and what is it now? when PDP assumed command in terms of security, infrastructure, other social services led by education, health care, drinking water; What was it then? what is it now and what have we earned, where is the money?”

“It is on this we realized that it is important that we come together and face the PDP. But all these efforts will be an exercise in futility if we don’t ensure that election is free and fair,” he said.

But the ruling PDP in a swift reaction blamed the former leader for misinforming Nigerians in order to achieve “his decaying presidential lust”.

The national publicity secretary of the PDP who reacted to Buhari’s comment said, “The first question I ask is this: is Buhari still in politics? I thought the man has retired from politics. Anyway, he is not important in the scheme of today’s politics because he has lost his bearings, maybe due to his decaying presidential lust and desire.

“We wish the former military leader the desires to toe the path of honour by quietly disengaging from politics for the younger ones who have kept faith with the nation’s movement to the next level, rather than still allowing himself to be used in a party that is grappling with ethnic and religious togas. Such a man who is oblivious of the performance of the present PDP-led administration in the country does not deserve a lengthy response,” Metuh said.