The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has cautioned President Muhammadu Buhari against discriminating parts of the country based on how they voted for him in the 2015 presidential election, saying, it could spell trouble for the unity of the nation.
In a press conference address by its National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh, in Abuja, PDP condemned the president's remarks in an interview during his recent visit to the United States. The President was said to have suggested he would pay closer attention to constituencies that overwhelmingly voted for him
The PDP said it was shocked to hear that the president, rather than uttering reassuring words to promote democracy, had decided to administer the country based on voting pattern in the last election.
In the address, Metuh said: "While Nigerians awaited for reassuring words to promote our democracy and unity as a nation, they were shocked as they watched President Buhari unfold to the world his decision to administer the country on the basis of the voting pattern in the last general elections rather than on equity as stipulated by the constitution and his oaths of office as the President of Nigeria.
"President Buhari told an audience in the United States that 'constituencies that gave me 97 per cent cannot in all honesty be treated, on some issues, with constituencies that gave me five per cent,' signifying that his government will be discriminatory.
"Never in the history of our nation has a president made such a divisive and vindictive declaration. Never in the history of Nigeria has a president made such tendentious, biased and partisan statement, a blade on the chord of unity of his own country and people.
"President Buhari, as a respected leader and the father of the nation whose 'I belong to everybody and I belong to nobody’ inaugural speech brought great hope to Nigerians, must therefore note the enormous damage and danger his recent partisan declaration brings to the polity.
"We demand that the president come clear on this matter. Would this form the basis of government appointments rather than adherence to merit and the principle of federal character as enshrined in the constitution? Would this be a basis for termination of appointments, promotions and key policies in the service circle?
"Would it form the basis for distribution of infrastructural development projects and other essential interventions rather than the principle of equity and equality of federating units as stipulated by the constitution? Is this a deliberate policy by the APC or his personal stance? Are we expecting the same discriminatory policy from APC state governors?" Metuh asked.
Add your comments here.