- Following the emergence of Ahmad Lawan and Femi Gbajabiamila as Senate President and speaker House of Representative respectively for the 9th Assembly, the Peoples Democratic Party and the Coalition of United Political Parties yesterday said the combination of the duo with president Muhammadu Buhari will deprive Nigerians the dividend of democracy.
Following the emergence of Ahmad Lawan and Femi Gbajabiamila as Senate President and speaker House of Representative respectively for the 9th Assembly, the Peoples Democratic Party and the Coalition of United Political Parties yesterday said the combination of the duo with president Muhammadu Buhari will deprive Nigerians the dividend of democracy.
The Peoples Democratic Party made this known during an interview Punch with its Deputy National Publicity Secretary Mr Diran Odeyemi yesterday.
Odeyemi said the combination of the duo with resident Muhammadu Buhari is an attempt to take possession of the judiciary and the legislative arm of government adding that oppositions are being threatened and intimidated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
“This kind of arrangement does not portend a sign of good things to come. The President and the APC started the ‘total capture’ and dominance of the democratic set up in Nigeria with the judiciary, reference to Justice Walter Onnoghen saga, in anticipation of their plan to rig the 2019 elections.” He said.
“They have followed it up with super imposition of the National Assembly leadership, having threatened some potential leaders with the EFCC, cajoled some with appointments, intimidated and frightened others out of the race. It is logical to say Buhari now owns Nigeria or has captured Nigeria.
“Let us now wait and see what will be the product of this well-planned democratic abracadabra. PDP will no longer be blamed and we wish him good luck.”
Corroborating Odeyemi’s claim in a separate interview with Punch correspondent, the spokesperson for the CUPP, Mr Imo Ugochinyere said Nigerians should not expect any positive development based on the current political arrangement.
“If any Nigerian is expecting something dramatic, something inspiring with a combination of Buhari, Lawan and Gbajamiabila, that person needs to think twice.
“There is nothing good that will come out of this arrangement.
“We have a government that has not made a strategic appointment because the President) does not understand the urgency of time in addressing national issues.”
