Iyorchia Ayu, new National Chairman of the PDP
‘Every single vice which has escalated under the APC will double if…, says Ayu
Incoming National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Iyorchia Ayu, has said that the planned removal petrol subsidy by the Federal Government will escalate crime rate in the country, even as he adding further that ‘every single vice which has escalated under the APC will double.’
Fielding question by journalists at the conclusion of the party’s National Retreat in Abuja, Thursday, Ayu said that going by the level of suffering experienced by Nigerians in the country, any planned hike in petrol price ‘means that there will be enormous difficulty in transportation.’
“I want to assure Nigerians that when we come back to power as a party, everything will be done to make sure that the massive sufferings that Nigerians are going through, because if you increase the price of petroleum products today, with the kind of suffering that Nigerians are going through, it means that there will be enormous difficulty in transportation.
“Food prices will escalate and there are already very high out there. You will find that crime rate will increase. Every single vice which has escalated under the APC will double. So the APC government is trying to take us into the highest level of suffering and ultimately, taking Nigerians to a position of non existence,” Ayu said.
Ayu, also read out the communiqué released at the end of its retreat for newly-elected members of the National Working Committee where the party observed among other things that: “The terrible security situation in the country threatens Nigeria’s corporate existence; The collapse of national security has made Nigeria to begin sharing sovereignty with terrorist gangs and rogue elements; and that the lack of vision, capacity, ability and competence on the part of the ruling APC have driven Nigeria towards a failed state. Through incessant borrowings, the Muhammadu Buhari regime has returned Nigeria to the status of “a beggar and debtor-nation.
“That the collapsed economy, infrastructure and a comatose manufacturing sector under the APC regime have pushed over 30million people into unemployment and underemployment between June 2015 and now; From the largest economy in Africa as at May 2015, Nigeria, under APC, has suffered two recessions and become the “Poverty Capital of the world; The unprecedented nepotism and divisiveness of the APC-Federal Government is fueling separatist tendencies in the country. Nigeria cannot survive another four years of APC misrule; PDP must put its House in order to enable it win the trust of Nigerians and be seen as a serious alternative to the failed APC; and to make Nigeria a workable and functional federation; an imperative by the incoming PDP government to restructure Nigeria.
“The retreat recommended: The incoming Ayu led NWC of the PDP should hold periodic retreats and round-table dialogues to clarify its position on issues affecting the country; The NWC should commence sustained dialogue with the Nigerian Electorate before the next round of elections; and The PDP should engage different segments of the voting population especially to encourage youths and women demographics in the rescue.
“Other recommendations are: The new leadership of the Party should in line with the party’s slogan, return the PDP to the people by entrenching the culture of internal democracy as envisaged by the party’s founding fathers.
“The new party leadership should enthrone the principle of party supremacy in the PDP so as to enhance order, discipline, unity, unanimity of purpose and, ultimately, landslide victories, Come 2023 and Beyond.
“Members at all levels should rally round the new leadership so that it effectively reforms, repositions, re-energizes, retools and re-directs the party towards regaining her lost glory and rescuing the country.
“PDP to see an emergency need for economic recovery and diversification through appropriate fiscal and monetary policy implementation approach that will help grow the nation’s export potentials, stabilize the foreign exchange regime and present an attraction for local and foreign investments.
“The new NWC should, as matter of urgency, revive and retool the Peoples Democratic Institute (PDI) as the brainbox, the research and Policy arm of the PDP
“The incoming leadership of the party should explore alternative sources of funding for the party via registration fees/annual dues, statutory contributions, sales of mementoes etc.
“The task of rescuing and rebuilding the nation is a national emergency. It requires sacrifice, dedication, laser-focus and the cooperation of all.
“The outgoing NWC praised the incoming NWC led by the PDP National Chairman, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu, for organizing a very successful retreat, with quality attendance from all over the country. It noted that the fruitful deliberations and the out-of-the-box prescriptions are all indications of PDP’s rebirth and resurgence.
“The incoming NWC, on its part, thanked its outgoing counterpart for its cooperation and full support. The Chairman-Elect H. E. Sen. Ayu equally commended party faithful, especially elected governors under its banner, for making out time to attend the retreat to strategize on the way forward.”
