Presidency Replies PDP, Speaks On Buhari Resigning Over Corruption

The call by the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for President Muhammadu Buhari to resign has been faulted by the Presidency.

Naija News reports that PDP’s National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, on Friday called on President Buhari to resign from office, citing prevailing corruption in federal agencies and insecurity across the nation.

Reacting to the call, the Presidency through the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, in a statement on Friday night, said the President would not heed such call.

The Presidency said the call by the PDP chairman was a mere camouflage of the PDP’s fear the various probes initiated by the Buhari administration, which had led to the uncovering of the many cases of corruption, would expose characters within the opposition further.

Presidential spokesman Shehu said the many cans of worms, which have been opened in recent times, including those exposed through the probe of the activities of the anti-corruption outfit, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), was because Buhari summoned the courage to fight and expose corruption, no matter whose ox is gored.

The statement said the call by the PDP had exposed it as being scared of the sorts of dirty hidden secrets that it would wish were kept covered, adding that President Buhari would not be deterred by the opposition’s distractive strategies.

“Based on the statement issued by the embattled chairman of the Party, Prince Uche Secondus, it is clear that they would have liked the President to not investigate but to cover things up: to not wake the sleeping lion as voiced by another of their leaders.

“The PDP government, which exited the stage five years ago through a democratic election by voters dissatisfied with corruption on an industrial scale, policy paralysis, obsolete and decaying essential infrastructure appears to have forgotten the reason for their stunning defeat and seem hell-bent on the fooling the nation, yet again for another ride to power.

“President Buhari will not resign. He is determined to continue the crusade against corruption, both legacy and recently unearthed cases, that are found to be shabbily handled, and in some cases unattended to by past administrations.

“The National Assembly, by virtue of its right to conduct its oversight function is currently carrying out own investigations. Additionally, the security and intelligence agencies are equally doing their part and must be given the time and space to conclude their work and present their reports.

“The PDP cannot scare the government from probing the grave allegations made against MDAs and their chiefs because failure to do so will amount to a historic betrayal of public trust.

“The PDP cannot subject Nigeria’s democracy to subterranean attacks and continue to pretend that they are well-meaning,” the statement said.