Don't rubbish the Igbos, PDP Warns Buhari

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Anambra State yesterday took a swipe at the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led Federal Government, warning that
any attempt by the government to continue to ridicule and reduce the Igbo nation would be firmly resisted.

In a statement signed by the state Chairman, Prince Ken Emeakayi, the party said the President had by his actions rubbished his pledge to Nigerians that he belongs to nobody, but everybody.

Reviewing the statements of President Muhammadu Buhari and all the appointments he had made so far, PDP said the message indicating that Ndigbo have no place or future with the administration and APC “has become increasingly manifest.

“Let it be known here and now, very loud and clear that the Igbos are not, have not been and can never be second class citizens under any guise to anyone or political party in this country Nigeria and that any attempt to continue to ridicule and to reduce even the smallest member among the family of the Igbo nation, shall be met with the strongest opposition and resistance from all Igbos irrespective of party lineage and/or affiliations,” it said.

Referring to the President’s response to reporters’ questions in the United States, where he said among other things that, “I hope that you have a copy of the election results, literally constituencies for example that gave me 97 per cent cannot in all honesty be treated on some issues with constituencies that gave me five per cent, I think these are political realities.

While such leader will do justice for everybody, everybody will enjoy his constitutional right but where the party in constituencies by their either cheer hard work they made sure that they got their people to vote and to ensure that their votes count, they must feel better the government has appreciated the effort they put in putting the government in place, I think this is really fair.”

The PDP stressed that Buhari from day one was not ready to run an inclusive government.

“Our dear President made no pretenses in confirming that hard time awaits Ndi-Igbo and all those that did not vote for the APC in the last general elections, and from all the appointments made so far by President Buhari and the APC, the handwriting on the wall as well as the message that the Igbo nation has no place and/or future with the Buhari administration and in the All Progressives Congress (APC) has become increasingly manifest.

“While we have no regrets whatsoever as members of PDP and the faithful supporters of former President Goodluck Ebele Azikiwe Jonathan during the last presidential election, we cannot pretend to be happy seeing that our brothers and sisters from the South-East even the APC members who supported President Buhari during the election are now being victimized and marginalized for no reasons other than that they are Igbos. 

There are eminently qualified Igbo sons and daughters who are APC members, including those that have joined on the account of the outcome of the 2015 general elections, and as such, the APC-led Federal Government is morally bound not only to give equal opportunities to the people of the South-East zone commensurate and similar to the appointments being given to their colleagues from the Northern part of Nigeria and the Southwest, but it is incumbent on President Buhari and the APC to treat the Igbo nation as an indispensible and integral part of one indivisible Nigeria federating unit”, it said