The People Democratic Party (PDP) has challenged the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to name at least one of its election campaign promises that it has fulfilled.
Speaking at the party’s conference which held yesterday, November 12 in Abuja, Ike Ekweremadu, the deputy president of the Senate, , who was the chairman of the conference said so far no campaign promise made by the present APC administration has been kept, This Day reports.
Listing the promises that have not been kept, Ekweremadu said: “They promised to scale up the exchange rate of our currency and bring it at par with the US dollar. Have they kept this promise? They promised to bring back the Chibok girls in three months. Have they brought back the Chibok girls? They promised to pay N5,000 to 25 million unemployed youths. Have they paid a kobo to any youth? They promised free meals to our children in the schools. Have they given any? They recently promised to end the Boko Haram insurgency in December 2015. We earnestly hope and pray that this particular promise is kept in the overall interest of our nation.”
He expressed concern over the ongoing war against corruption which according to him has been politicized.
“An anti-corruption drive trap that catches only those who have an axe to grind with powerful political forces will appear compromised and leave so much to be desired. Vindictiveness and selective targeting of perceived political enemies does not represent a blueprint for change.
“We cannot turn government into a bonfire of bitterness and a cavalcade of recrimination and expect to make headway in this time of clear economic challenges. It is akin to a man who goes chasing rats while his house is on fire,” he said.
The deputy Senate president noted that nation’s economy was getting worse, businesses were grounded and the capital market had lost over N400 billion in recent months.
He added that the APC-led administration had driven the economy to the point where the nation is now being considered broke.
Ekwerenmadu’s continued stay as the number two man in the Senate is being protested against by the APC. He presided over the plenary for the first time on Wednesday, November 11. He held forth for the Senate President, Bukola Saraki who was attending the inauguration of the ministers by President Muhammadu Buhari at the Aso Rock Villa.
This did not go down well with some APC senators who staged a walkout. The senators stated that they would not sit and watch a member of the PDP chair the APC majority-controlled chamber. They also pledged not to attend any plenary session presided over by deputy Senate president.
Speaking at the party’s conference which held yesterday, November 12 in Abuja, Ike Ekweremadu, the deputy president of the Senate, , who was the chairman of the conference said so far no campaign promise made by the present APC administration has been kept, This Day reports.
Listing the promises that have not been kept, Ekweremadu said: “They promised to scale up the exchange rate of our currency and bring it at par with the US dollar. Have they kept this promise? They promised to bring back the Chibok girls in three months. Have they brought back the Chibok girls? They promised to pay N5,000 to 25 million unemployed youths. Have they paid a kobo to any youth? They promised free meals to our children in the schools. Have they given any? They recently promised to end the Boko Haram insurgency in December 2015. We earnestly hope and pray that this particular promise is kept in the overall interest of our nation.”
He expressed concern over the ongoing war against corruption which according to him has been politicized.
“An anti-corruption drive trap that catches only those who have an axe to grind with powerful political forces will appear compromised and leave so much to be desired. Vindictiveness and selective targeting of perceived political enemies does not represent a blueprint for change.
“We cannot turn government into a bonfire of bitterness and a cavalcade of recrimination and expect to make headway in this time of clear economic challenges. It is akin to a man who goes chasing rats while his house is on fire,” he said.
The deputy Senate president noted that nation’s economy was getting worse, businesses were grounded and the capital market had lost over N400 billion in recent months.
He added that the APC-led administration had driven the economy to the point where the nation is now being considered broke.
Ekwerenmadu’s continued stay as the number two man in the Senate is being protested against by the APC. He presided over the plenary for the first time on Wednesday, November 11. He held forth for the Senate President, Bukola Saraki who was attending the inauguration of the ministers by President Muhammadu Buhari at the Aso Rock Villa.
This did not go down well with some APC senators who staged a walkout. The senators stated that they would not sit and watch a member of the PDP chair the APC majority-controlled chamber. They also pledged not to attend any plenary session presided over by deputy Senate president.
