The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Saturday said it had reviewed comments attributed to Dr. Christopher Kolade, a former High Commissioner to the United Kingdom on the leadership of the nation, specifically as it relates to the fight against the insurgency facing our country.
Calling Kolade “our respected elder statesman”, the party said: “we regret that Dr. Kolade, an eminent Nigerian with very senior diplomatic credentials, who also served as the Chairman of SURE-P, a special development and empowerment programme of the Jonathan administration, apparently got his facts mixed up about the character and person of the President and the nature of the overall security challenges in our country.
“We in the PDP in our usual high moral ground of decency decided to exercise restraint expecting Dr. Kolade to retract his statement, but such never came, hence this reaction.
“While we recognize the inalienable right of citizens to hold opinions and fully express themselves, especially given the institutionalized freedom Nigerians now enjoy under the present administration, it is only fair that comments, particularly those from prominent persons in the mold of Dr. Kolade must be based only on the truth.”
Dr. Kolade had days ago accused Jonathan of not leading the country aright and not having the will-power to battle insecurity in the country.
He also gave reason why he stepped down as the head of the SURE-P summarising that the programme had no vision.
Kolade had said at 80 years, he could no longer deceive anyone or pamper people where they have not done well.
But in reaction, the PDP said: “we found it curious that Dr. Kolade, a supposedly apolitical elder statesman, who has an unfettered access to the President, could resort to public mudslinging, relying on oft-repeated lies of the All Progressives Congress (APC) apparently aimed to disparage and discredit the President ahead of the 2015 general elections.
“Indeed, the timing and the tenor of Dr. Kolade’s outburst, given the security and political situation in the land, is also very worrisome especially when a nerve-soothing statement from a person of his age and status could have encouraged our citizens and help douse the tension in the polity.
“It is mind-boggling and embarrassing that this eminent technocrat could attempt to stand history on its head by stating that President Goodluck Jonathan went to a rally in Kano state “the next day” after 59 students were killed in Yobe state. It is common knowledge and verifiable fact that the said PDP Kano rally held on April 15, 2014, about two months after the unfortunate killing of 59 students in Yobe in February, 2014.
“Whilst we do not expect everybody to agree with President Jonathan’s leadership style, we are nevertheless encouraged that Nigerians from all walks of life appreciate the President as a committed and sincere leader with very strong bond with his people and their well-being irrespective of religious, ethnic and political affiliations.
“In the last four years, under President Jonathan, our country has witnessed unprecedented growth and verifiable achievements in all sectors with our economy ranking as the largest in Africa in spite of the daunting security challenges and the global economic recession, a fact which Dr. Kolade as a technocrat is fully aware of. We therefore totally disagree with Dr. Kolade when he said that ‘Nigeria has had it much better than now’.
“It is incontrovertible that the Federal Government has sustained the fight against insurgency, deploying huge budgetary allocations to re-equip our security forces as well as intensified collaborations with national and international stakeholders to bring lasting peace to our country.
“We wish to restate that the PDP and all well-meaning Nigerians are solidly behind President Goodluck Jonathan in this fight against terrorism. Those who expect the President to get distracted, demoralized or cowed through their utterances must know that they are fighting a lost battle.
“Let it be clear that the PDP-led administration shall never allow terrorists and their supporters to dictate the tempo of government, which has been their direct objective. We wish to restate that it is a globally settled principle that no government allows terrorist to influence the course of its action otherwise they have achieved their purpose against the people.
“We therefore urge all Nigerians to unite and join hands with the Federal Government and our security agencies in this fight.
“In conclusion, we call on eminent Nigerians such as Dr. Christopher Kolade to rise up to their patriotic duty in condemning the heinous acts of terrorists and urging their international contacts to support the Federal Government in the efforts to end insurgency in our dear country.”