PDP, A Timid Opposition – Shehu Sani
The Senator representing Kaduna Central, Shehu Sani, Thursday described the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, as a timid opposition party that has failed to play its roles.
He also described the ruling All Progressives Congress as a reluctant party with many contradictions within its folds.
The Senator who queried the ideology of the two biggest political parties in the country said the only difference between the PDP and APC is in the name.
According to him, different people formed the PDP in order to drive military out of power in 1999 and that APC was also formed to drive Former President Goodluck Jonathan out of power in 2015.
Sani, who accused Nigerian leaders of insensitivity to ending the wanton killings in the country, called for massive but peaceful protest to awaken the conscience of the leaders in the country.
Sani said rather than taking proactive and decisive steps towards addressing the nations problems, political office holders are busy strategizing for re-election in 2019.
Delivering his lecture at a programme in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, the Senator who is the Chairman, Senate Committee on Foreign and Local Debts, said the country was experiencing tension ahead of 2019 because politicians are desperate for spoils of office and not concerned about the welfare of the electorate.
He said, “All is not well with this country. This is the wrong time to shed blood in Nigeria. If you think that people in power will stop the problem in the country, you are in for a fools ride. The attention of people is how to win elections and not how they can end senseless killings and bloodshed.
“It would require a mass, peaceful march in the streets from Nigerians to recharge the conscience of people in power.
“Nigerians are dying in hundreds and in thousands and some people felt what is important is INEC timetable, when is elections and when is primaries.
“It is difficult to hear any public office holder speak the truth because of political calculations. Anybody who says we are not in crisis now is deceiving himself.
“We are only differentiated by names. The PDP came into existence because there is a need to have a national party that will take over from the military. The APC came into power to de-establish the PDP and drive Jonathan out of power and in the process, we have all sorts of people.
“When I see some of my colleagues trying to come into our party, I ask them: have you find out how those of us in the party are fairing? Most of you will end up from Syria to Afghanistan. All is not well with this country.”
The Senator urged the media to rise up to the challenges of solving the nations problems by providing platforms to call leaders to account and enlighten the populace about their rights.
“We have come a long way to establish this democracy and we must not let this democracy die because some people died to enthrone this democracy. People should be elected based on their individual qualities.” He added.
Culled from Independent newspaper
