The Second Republic governor of the old Kaduna State, Mr. Balarabe Musa has called on Nigerians not to return the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to power in 2019.
Speaking in a telephone interview with NAN from Kaduna, who was elected in 1979 on the platform of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) but impeached in 1981 by the National Party of Nigeria (NPN)-dominated legislature House of Assembly, however said although all was not well with the country under the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led government, Nigerians should never risk having any hope in the PDP to make things better.
He said the country would be worse off if the main opposition party is allowed to come back.
He said PDP’s 16-year administration before 2015 brought misery and underdevelopment to Nigeria, adding that the party almost ruined the economy completely with massive corruption and plunder of resources while in power.
He said the opposition PDP lacks the moral right to ask for a return to power stressing that a credible alternative is needed to turn things around.
“I do not understand the hype about PDP returning to power. I just do not understand. Return to do what?
“The party that created many problems for 16 years when they were in power? No way!
“Things are not too good in the country at the moment, but I think the country would be worse if the PDP is allowed to return. We saw what they did for 16years and they will definitely mess things up further.
“Nigerians should not trust the PDP with power. We will be disappointed. What we need in the country right now is a credible alternative that would deliver good governance and respond to our needs,” he said.
Musa said money had over the years influenced Nigerian politics, resulting in the emergence of unpopular leaders.
The former governor said Nigerians must be prepared to change the narrative by voting according to their conscience in 2019 and beyond.
He said the country was faced with a number of security and economic challenges, among others, which need the government’s creative intervention to address.
Musa suggested the economic restructuring of the country to bring back privatised public corporations under government control for more efficient services.
The former governor said the economy was being controlled by the private sector, which he said was ripping off the people with poor service delivery.
However, the publicity secretary of the party, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan, while reacting to Musa’s statement, said the elder statesman might have been referring to the PDP of old.
“Perhaps Alhaji Balarabe Musa is talking about the PDP of old, not today’s rebranded PDP, which majority of Nigerians are rallying behind.
“And because of the failure of President Muhammadu Buhari, Nigerians don’t need education or advice, from anybody, including Alhaji Musa on who to vote for.
“Nigerians are determined to rescue themselves from the hunger, starvation, low purchasing power, the killings, the needless divisions across the nation and the apathy towards governance.
“So Nigerians don’t need anybody’s education at this critical time for them to take a decision on who to vote for. They have tried Buhari and they have seen his manifest failure and they have seen that Buhari has been demystified in governance and politically deflowered.
“Nigerians at this time don’t need anybody’s help or advice to make up their mind. They have already decided on where they are going.
“And come 2019, they are going to vote en masse against Buhari, whether the Balarabe Musas of this world like it or not,” he said.
