BEVERLY HILLS, CA, February 01, (THEWILL) – Borno State governor Kashim Shettima weekend slammed the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), saying it has done nothing good for Nigerians.
He described the party as one of the worst things to have happened to the country since the return of democratic rule in 1999.
Shettima, who spoke at the inauguration of the Borno State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) executive in Maiduguri on Saturday, said PDP has done equal damage to Nigerians as slavery and colonialism did.
“Apart from slavery and colonialism, nothing has befallen the black race than the emergence of PDP,” the governor said, adding that 2015 is the party’s terminal period as the ruling party in the country.
“Nigeria has earned billion of dollars unprecedented in the contemporary history of the country with little or nothing to show for it. This is nothing but a disaster.
“Since the party came to power in the country, it cannot boast of a legacy of providing 5,000 kilometres of roads, 5,000 megawatts of power and 5,000 jobs for millions of youths,” the governor lamented.
Shettima said APC is on a rescue mission to deliver Nigerians from PDP misrule as he maintained that there is no opposition in Borno State as other parties have merged to provide the best for the people .
He said PDP no longer exist in Borno as notable members of the party have defected to APC to liberate the state.
He therefore invited the people of the state to join the party as it opens its membership registration on Wednesday, saying: “There is no winner, no vanquish situation in the APC, if APC wins it is democracy, rule of law that wins.”
In his remarks at the occasion, APC National Secretary, Alhaji Tijjani Tumsa, said: “Borno state is at the centre of Nigerian politics and at the centre of APC politics being the first state where the leaders sat together to provide leadership for the party.
“We profess to provide a change in politics for Nigeria and Borno is already showing example.
“The party provides space, a space for internal democracy to thrive. The leadership of the party starts from the wards and Local Governments; if we provide a good leadership at the grassroots, we will provide the party with the opportunity to have good leadership at the national level.
“ I am asking all to work assiduously to making this a great party.We are on the right track towards offering Nigeria with the right democracy and manning government.”
He praised the Borno State Government for the progress of the party, saying Shettima has been working assiduously to bring in members into the party.
In his speech at the occasion, the newly- inaugurated interim state chairman of the party , Senator Kaka Malam Yale, said it took him time to take up the challenge of running the party because “he knows the daunting task required of the founding chairman.”
He promised that no matter the political affiliation of members in the past, “the broom of the APC should be allowed to sweep it away and allowed all to begin on a new slate.”
He called for forgiveness from all, saying no one can work together without clashes as he advised that personal interest should be relegated on behalf of the good of the party and the state.
He called on all members of the party to learn from the late Waziri Ibrahim and Moshood Abiola, who, according to him, were advocates of politics without bitterness.
