'Stop insulting the president,' APC national chairman warns PDP

Members of the All Progressives Congress APC have issued a stern warning to the Peoples Democratic Party PDP, to refrain from insulting President Buhari and other members of his government.

In a statement released by APC’s national chairman, John Odigie-Oyegun on Saturday evening, the APC claimed that the PDP did not have respect for the president and the members of his cabinet.

Even though there is no true democracy without opposition, Oyegun said that being in the opposition party does not give PDP the right to insult the president.

“The APC is worried by PDP’s inciting statements. Respect for the office of the president or heads of government in any clime is not a matter of choice but a civic obligation sanctioned by laws. Being an opposition party or critic is no license to issue abusive, intemperate and slanderous statements on government officials; most especially the president of the country.

“The PDP has proven that it is not a party to be trusted or taken seriously. Only recently, the PDP said in a December 24, 2015 statement: ‘we urge that Nigerians should not recourse to hauling insults on the President’."

Speaking about the claim that the anti-corruption war was selective and vengeful, Oyegun told the PDP to prove the innocence of its members in court.

“For the umpteenth time, the APC urges Nigerians who see merit in the war that the President Buhari-led administration is waging against corruption, not to be distracted by the PDP and their agents of corruption to discredit the war. For the records, the ongoing war against corruption is not selective. Anybody guilty of corrupt practices will face the law.

“If the PDP has any proof of corruption against any APC member or minister as alleged, we advise that they approach any of the anti-graft agencies constitutionally mandated to handle such cases.

“PDP’s rant suggesting a selective anti-corruption fight by the present administration should be seen as a plot meant to distract the citizenry from the successful ongoing war against graft.

“The PDP does not have the luxury of dictating how the present administration carries out its legitimate duty of catching looters, as long as it conforms with the rule of law.”