Temidayo Akinsuyi,Lagos

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Friday said it is not a weak opposition party which has failed to put the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and President Muhammadu Buhari in check.

Many Nigerians who are groaning over the hike in the price of petrol and electricity tariff have claimed that the PDP disappointed them by not leading the charge against the policies of government as the APC had done when it was the opposition party.


Many leaders of APC today, including President Muhammadu Buhari, Mai Mala Buni, Yobe state governor and Caretaker Committee Chairman of the APC, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, Lauretta Onochie and others led protests against removal of fuel subsidy by the Goodluck Jonathan administration in 2012.

Speaking in a chat with INDEPENDENT, Kola Ologbondiyan, National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, said it is wrong for Nigerians to label the party as a weak opposition party despite all the actions it has taken in protest against some of the policies of the APC-led government since it came on board in 2015.

“I do not think that is correct. We are not a weak opposition party. As Nigerians will recall, the PDP has consistently challenged the APC and President Muhammadu Buhari on the opaque nature of their subsidy regime".

“We have consistently stated that the type of subsidy the federal government is practicing is an absurdity and it encourages corruption. Under the PDP administration, we put a budget into what we spent on subsidy but in this administration, they have no budget in whatever form on subsidy.

“Each time they are challenged on corruption in respect to a subsidy, they lay claim to under-recovery. For us in the PDP, we have consistently opposed a hike in the prices of petroleum products as well as an increase in taxation.

“We have stood against hike in electricity tariff. So, I do not understand when people say PDP has not lived up to his role as a major opposition party and we have not challenged the APC. We have always challenged President Buhari’s government and we will continue to do so,” he said.

https://www.independent.ng/fuel-price-hike-we-are-not-weak-opposition-party-pdp/

I maybe sympathetic to pdp but the truth must be told pdp is as weak as weakling association of long throated judases whose sole aim is dirty Palm greaceing and loud mouthed giraffes.
You might be surprised they were fully aware of the plot but were silenced with rat poison just like a thieving rat caught in the web of its greed.
Shame!

PDP isn't weak, is unfortunate that some Nigerians value suffering.

What Bosun Emmanuel said is gradually unfolding.

Nigeria is sitting on a time bomb, Nigerians should wake up this is more than politics.

Not weak. Secondus is only afraid of Buhari

WATCHOVER:
PDP isn't weak, is unfortunate that some Nigerians value suffering.

What Bosun Emmanuel said is gradually unfolding.

Nigeria is sitting on a time bomb, Nigerians should wake up this is more than politics.

There's little the PDP can do when you have a docile populace that can't differentiate between their inalienable rights and privileges.

Liars, sold out hungry mofos

PDP should start, Nigerians will join

Wiseandtrue:

Make una organize protest too everywhere until Buhari rescind his decision or revolutionalize the country now!!!

It's not all about talking, do something!!!

It's not as if you're doing what the ruling party has not done before!!! Shuooooooo

Na this same di è, di è, una do so tey APC snatch power from una hands and brought Nigerian to it kneels

You can do better!!!

If all of una come protest, Buhari no fit shoot una nau

Kola want to play smart by not telling Nigeria truth. PDP and other civil rights society has been clamouring for total removal of subsidies which this government did that resulted to this hike in fuel price. The question government will ask anybody protesting is this. Should we go back to subsidy regime?

nairavsdollars:
PDP should start, Nigerians will join

You are on point!

They can't sit in their headquarters and be dishing out press conference

They need to be on ground, encourage and convince Nigerians of the need to fight against this increase

At least, let them protest first so that Buhari will not be doing anyhow

Wiseandtrue:

Are you for real

APC government did not believe in the subsidy in the first place and that's why they insist that the PDP government should sell as low as N65.00

APC is so so shameless to bring up ANY SUBSIDY and if Nigerians let it slide then they can let anything slide!!!

Even PDP know that the kind of subsidy regime that they practiced was a very opaque n fraudulent one where PDP chieftains,their children n cronies were defrauding Nigeria under the guise of fuel importation. Claiming billions of naira as subsidy payments. That era disappeared when Buhari came on board n NNPC became the sole importer of fuel.
However FG can't continue to subsidize fuel. It's no longer sustainable. The only problem I have is why now? People are really hurting as a result of the effects of the covid 19 pandemic. On the other hand, if we don't have the political will to remove it now then when?
It's is a painful decision but it must be made sooner or later.

muykem:
Kola want to play smart by not telling Nigeria truth. PDP and other civil rights society has been clamouring for total removal of subsidies which this government did that resulted to this hike in fuel price. The question government will ask anybody protesting is this. Should we go back to subsidy regime?

You are talking as if you don't know what's going on in Nigeria. Did Buhari tell you he has removed the subsidy?