The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday congratulated General Muhammadu Buhari as he took office as President.
This is as Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, has said that members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the forthcoming 8th National Assembly would provide credible opposition that would further deepen democracy and promote good governance in Nigeria.
The party in a statement signed by the National Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh, Friday, wished the new President success in piloting the affairs of the country in the next four years.
“The PDP wishes General Buhari a successful tenure as President of our dear nation. Indeed, we appreciate the fact that his success would be to the benefit of Nigeria as a nation. "It is against this backdrop that we wish him good health, vigour and wisdom to pilot the affairs of the nation in the next four years.
“We also join millions of Nigerians and the international community in commending and applauding immediate past President Goodluck Jonathan for a smooth transition as well as his democratic credentials and enduring legacies in ensuring the stability of the nation”, the statement said.
The PDP said that as a party that had nurtured and sustained democracy in the last 16 years, it would remain committed to the democratic ethos as well as the unity, stability and prosperity of Nigeria at all times.
Ekweremadu, in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media, Uche Anichukwu, in Enugu, on the occasion of Nigeria’s 16th Democracy Day anniversary, described the smooth transition from PDP administration led by former President Goodluck Jonathan to the All Progressives Congress (APC), as a big leap for the nation’s democracy.
The statement read: “It is to the credit of Nigerians that the Fourth Republic has outlasted the nation’s previous democratic experience. Despite our challenges, Nigeria witnessed a historic transition from one democratic administration to the other in 2007. And on this Democracy Day anniversary, we have witnessed the first transition of the instruments of power from one party to the other and the world has continued to pour encomiums on our immediate past President and Nigerians because this came without bloodshed, violence or break-up of the country as many had predicted."
While calling for a cross-party support for the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, Ekweremadu said the Forum of PDP National Assembly Members-elect had resolved to go on a retreat, with the theme: ‘'The Role of the Opposition in Facilitating Development and Good Governance’'
He said the aim was to “Equip its members with the requisite skills and knowledge on change management and how to provide the much needed responsible and robust opposition that deepens democracy and promotes national development.”
He added: “Having lost our majority advantage in the National Assembly for now, it naturally means that the PDP will assume the role of the opposition in the 8th National Assembly. This is an entirely new experience for the party since its inception.
“Resource persons who have been through this road before especially from emerging democracies in Africa have accepted to come and share their experiences with us. We believe that this will go a very long way in shaping not only the quality of governance in the next four years but will also help to re-launch the party to power,” he added.
He also said the Forum would hold the federal government accountable for any misdeed and ensure that Nigerians were not short-changed.
Source: Thisdaylive
0 comments:
Post a Comment