Atiku says APC is a clueless, incompetent party

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, has labelled the governing All Progressives Congress (APC) a monumental failure.

Speaking during a two-day national convention of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Abuja last weekend, Atiku said Nigeria has never been in such a bad shape.

According to Atiku, "PDP fought inflation to single digit and stabilised the foreign exchange market which the APC destroyed with its cluelessness and incompetence.

"All through my life, I have never seen our dear country in such a bad shape. We have become so disunited, with so much unemployment and insecurity in the country.

"Nigeria is now at a precipice because of the lacklustre performance of the APC, but we now have the chance to atone for the mistakes of our past leadership, a chance to steer our country to its right position in the comity of nations.

"As humans, none of us is perfect and we will continue to strive to make our country better for the good of all Nigerians.

"The APC has proven itself to be incompetent and we are now ready to rescue, restore and rebuild the foundation of our beloved country.

"We have a collective aspiration to return Nigeria to the path of growth and development and I call on all members of our party and indeed, all well-meaning citizens of our great country to join us in this struggle."

Other leaders of the PDP also deplored "the poor state of Nigeria" and urged citizens to support the party’s mission to salvage the country.

Welcoming delegates to the convention, Chairman of the National Planning Committee of the Convention and Governor of Adamawa, Rt. Hon. Ahmadu Fintiri, said the convention was a starting point for Nigeria's "rescue mission."

"For Nigeria, the present APC-led government is hell-bent on rail-roading the country into multi-faceted recession in all fronts - from economy to governance, national security to diplomacy, poverty to unemployment, anti-corruption to the observance of the rule of law and citizenship to national cohesion.

"Indeed, the country has never had it this bad and that Nigeria was better by far when PDP was in power is not in doubt and that the people relished those golden moments when the PDP held sway at the centre is also not in doubt," Fintiri said.

Acting National Chairman of the PDP, Yomi Akinwonmi, paid glowing tributes to the governors of the party, describing them as "pillars of the party."

He commended members of the National Assembly and party leaders for their outstanding contributions to the growth of the party.

Akinwonmi said "the APC government is so clueless that Nigerians are now yearning for our return to rescue them."

Earlier, Chairman of the accreditation sub-committee and Governor of Delta, Ifeanyi Okowa, supervised the screening of delegates at the Old Parade Ground, Abuja, before they were conveyed to Eagle Square for the convention.

Okowa commended delegates for their orderly conduct, assuring that the party is setting the pace for others to emulate.

Ex-Senator Iyorchia Ayu has been elected National Chairman of the PDP.

The APC seized control of the federal government from the PDP in 2015, after Muhammadu Buhari defeated Goodluck Jonathan to win that year's presidential contest.

The PDP governed Nigeria for 16 years, before 2015.