The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) said it was left in shock and disbelief at the Independence Day speech of President Muhammadu Buhari, describing it as “empty tirade”.
The party made the position known in a statement issued by the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Prince Dayo Adyeye on Tuesday.
According to Adeyeye, although the party never expected anything fantastic from the President, “the level of emptiness portrayed in the statement was too grave to be ignored.”
He aded that Buhari’s attempt to hoodwink Nigerians again, did not succeed, saying the speech was tailored towards deceiving the populace.
Adeyeye described the present government as rudderless, insisting that it has thrown the country into its worst economic situation.
He said: “We feel ashamed on behalf of the APC government, which promised much, but almost three years into its tenure, has no meaningful development to show to the people, but mere continuous deceit, blame game and display of lack of vision in actualization of its bogus campaign promises for good governance.
“We wonder how President Buhari, can, after two and half years of being in the saddle, still maintains the stale rhyme of meeting an empty treasury after all the hard evidence of huge funds left behind by the PDP- led administration of Dr. Goodluck Jonathan?
“We still ask, and we expect an answer, though we know nothing will be offered as explanation. Where did the government get the money paid out by President Muhammadu Buhari as first bailout funds to states few weeks into his administration?
“Another remarkable falsehood that caught our attention from the President’s uninspiring speech is the super-imposed narratives of how successful the administration has handled the issue of insecurity in the country, especially in the North East zone.”
Adeyeye also described the government as one rejoicing in self- delusion.
He said: “While the government of the PDP was able to curtail the terrorists and ensured elections were peacefully held in the troubled zone without anyone getting killed by terrorists during the election of 2015, we observe that the situation in the North East has worsened in the last two and half years.”
The PDP further mocked the government’s promise to rout the Boko Haram terrorists within two months of assuming office, saying the promise has fallen flat on the face.
Adeyeye added in the statement: “As far as we are concerned, the only achievement of the APC government as far as the issue of the Boko Haram insurgents is concerned, is the inability of government to protect Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) who are being bombed at will by insurgents.
“Given the comments of President Buhari, we believe that he is either unaware, or just playing the ostrich with the daily bombings and ambushing of men of the Nigerian military by the terror group.
“We say unequivocally, that insecurity has risen under this administration, as more cases of kidnapping, armed robbery, agitation for secession and general insecurity in the country had escalated.
“We also wish to let the President know that Nigerians are still waiting to see how his so called anti-corruption war will consume, through proper prosecution, his beloved suspended Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal.
“Months after, the panel report is yet to be opened or treated, but the President had the temerity to tell Nigerians that he is fighting corruption.
“We are appalled that the government gave itself pass mark on how it has handled the nation’s economy, and we wonder what the APC government has done that has brought any positive impact on the economy.”