The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has said recent victories in local government council elections in Delta and Ekiti states is indication that Nigerians are tired of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, the PDP challenged the APC to conduct free and fair council polls, in states it controls,  in order to test its popularity.

The opposition party said the APC should stop deluding itself that it can still win elections in the country, as it did in 2015, and noted that Nigerians have seen through their deceit.

The PDP added that the ruling party knows it cannot face the electorate after it has failed to fulfil its 2015 electoral promises.

“We all know that the APC is mortally afraid of going into any election, particularly at the grassroots, as Nigerians across board are bitter with them for their deceit and the wrecking of our once robust economy.

“Nigerians are also at pains over the poor welfare direction of the ruling party, which has resulted in the penetrating hardship now being suffered under the APC-controlled Federal Government.

“The APC is petrified because Nigerians have renewed their interest in the PDP as the only genuine people-oriented party.

“Today, the APC knows it cannot go back to the same electorate as it did in 2015, with promises of bogus jobs, monthly stipends, free meals, free houses, reduction of fuel price, bringing the dollar to the same value with the naira and other promises.

“The APC knows it cannot face the more than 8 million Nigerians it has rendered jobless with its policies. They know that judgment awaits them from thousands of workers who were sacked in states where APC governors rule, particularly Kogi and Kaduna.

“The party also knows it cannot return to the families of those slaughtered in Benue, Taraba, Adamawa, Borno and other parts of the country by marauders encouraged and emboldened by the indifference of the federal government and the unguarded comments from unpatriotic presidential aides.”

Ologbondiyan added that “the fact is that Nigerians now know the difference between APC and the democratic, development-driven PDP which, in its 16 years in power, led the nation to economic boom, cleared huge foreign debts, repositioned the banking sector, championed the telecommunications revolution we all now enjoy, revamped the railways, built new universities, reformed the ports, facilitated unprecedented growth in small and medium enterprises and placed the nation as major global investment destination.”

It noted that as a result of the failure of the ruling party, governors elected on its platform, are now running to Abuja for help because of the disgrace that awaits them in the next general election.

However, the opposition party stated that the APC governors forgot that President Muhammadu Buhari cannot help them, as he would also “face an inevitable crushing defeat in 2019.”

THE SUN