The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has described the statement by the APC portraying President Goodluck Jonathan as ‘heartless’ for not shutting down governance over the terrorist attack in Abuja, as yet another demonstration of APC’s support for terrorist agenda against the country.
PDP National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh in a statement on Wednesday said “it is common knowledge that those behind the attacks seek to impose a reign of terror in our country, cow the President, dictate the tempo of government and ultimately shut down governance; a plot which the APC has betrayed its support for.
Stating that the PDP-led Federal Government cannot in anyway be cowed or intimidated to abandon its mandate, the statement stressed that President Jonathan has remained committed to the welfare and security of all Nigerians.
“Indeed, Nigerians are no longer at loss as to the agenda of the APC. The APC has again exposed its support for acts directly aimed at shutting down governance and imposing anarchy and reign of terror on our people. They had expected the President to be intimidated by acts of terrorism which have continued to be motivated by their utterances.
“However, we wish to restate that as a party vested with the sacred mandate freely given by over 160 million Nigerians, the leadership of the PDP and the government we formed shall not be cowed, intimidated, harassed or tele-guided by acts of terrorism. The PDP-led administration was popularly elected by the Nigerian people and shall never allow terrorists and their supporters to dictate the tempo of government, which has been their direct objective.
“It is a globally settled principle that no government allows terrorist to influence the course of its action otherwise they have achieved their purpose. This is why the Conservative Party continued with its convention in Brighton, in October of 1984, even though the then Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher, was almost killed by an IRA bomb that exploded at the venue of the convention. During that incidence, five people were killed, including two high-profile members of the Conservative Party, and 31 were injured”, the statement said.
The party noted that contrary to the allegations by the APC, President Jonathan has continued to be sensitive and responsive to the welfare of all Nigerians. It recalled that the President cancelled his planned trip to Ibadan, visited the scene of the blasts and the injured and gave directives on the matter.
It also recalled that after the Dana Crash of June 3, 2012, the government flew the Nigerian flag at half-mast and the President and the Federal Government wisely refrained from celebrations.
Calling on Nigerians to be vigilant and wary of the APC, the PDP commended President Jonathan for remaining steadfast and focused in delivering his Transformation Agenda in spite of the insurgency and unnecessary attacks by the opposition.
