APC pays newspaper columnists N5 million to discredit PDP officials - Olisa Metuh

By Ehi Ekhator

The leadership of the People Democratic Parties, (PDP) has said that the opposition party, All Progressives Congress (APC) is haunted by its own shadow.

APC vs PDP

This was contained in a statement signed by the party National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh.

Mr. Metuh accused the APC of using the media to castigate, discredit and riducule PDP officials by using the resources meant for their state to pay for such negative columnists.

The party said that APC paid some newspaper columnists up to the amount of N5m to castigate and insult the party including the President.

The statement read “We have observed the ill-conceived and wicked offensive deployed by the APC wherein it has now resorted to attacking the personality of individuals and institutions of government using a section of the media.

“In the last few days, the media have been awash with paid write-ups and advertorials by the APC using resources meant for the development of their states to castigate, discredit and ridicule PDP officials and other well meaning individuals in the country.

“It is rather despicable that instead of coming out with tangible explanations that would delink it from the negatives for which Nigerians have rejected it, the APC, now haunted by its ugly shadow, has resorted to yet another diversionary tactics of propaganda, blackmail and falsehood, this time, using paid consultants masquerading as newspaper columnists to attack and insult individuals including the person of President Goodluck Jonathan.”

Mr. Metuh in the statement said that the APC’s agenda is to destroy the democracy and the peace and Unity enjoyed by Nigerians.

He said “We however wish to restate that the PDP is not perturbed by these attacks and they cannot deter us from exposing the APC. We completely stand by our position that the APC is a party of unpatriotic persons whose agenda is to destroy our democracy and the unity we enjoy as a nation.

“This wave of attack is clearly part of APC’s “Janjaweed” ideology of destruction and inciting the people against individuals, especially government officials, in furtherance of the plot to undermine the system and balkanize the nation along ethnic and religious lines ahead of the 2015 general elections; an agenda which has already failed.

“We are aware that the APC has engaged the services of foreigners who have since been imported into the country to do the hatchet job in collaboration with the paid consultants who pocket as much as N5 million naira for each negative publication.

“We are however aware of failed efforts by the APC to compromise credible Nigerian columnists and bloggers, who for the love of our dear country and fear of God refused to be made agents of destabilization.

“Nigerians must insist that the APC declares the source of the billions of naira with which it is sponsoring the negative publications. We must ensure that the funds are not coming from the resources meant for the development of their states where the people are already subjected to untold hardship on account of the looting and heavy taxes by the APC.

“As an ill-bred party, it is not surprising that the APC has continued to exhibit crass hatred for the President even to the extent of unleashing their thugs to attack innocent citizens for the singular reason of being in possession of posters of President Goodluck Jonathan.

“Nigerians are now aware that the APC is a party of hypocrites; of wolves in messianic robes seeking to deceive with the promise of change. We wish to state categorically that the APC as presently constituted has nothing to offer. It is not an alternative to the PDP neither is it an option to Nigerians. Its orchestrated mantra of change remains cosmetic, hypocritical and hollow, unless we now speak of change from democracy to dictatorship.

“By every indication, the APC is a rudderless ship heading for crisis and self destruction. We want Nigerians to note that whilst the leaders of the APC have continued to focus on attacking people and causing confusion, the PDP has focused on sensitizing the people as well as strengthening and expanding its support base.

“Whilst the APC leaders have relegated their duty of organizing their party ahead of elections and remain fixated on mischief, PDP leaders are working hard to organize our members in all the states, local government and wards of the country for a successful outing in 2015.

“Nigerians must note that as we match towards the general elections, the APC has no single democratic structure on the ground. It still lacks genuine followership and has no defined presence at the grassroot. On the other hand, the PDP remains the party with the largest number of members and supporters and shall continue to be committed to the national interest for the good of all.

“We wish to remind the APC that he who fails to work, works to fail. This is the ultimate fate that awaits them in 2015 and they should have nobody but themselves to blame. Of course, as bad losers, the only plan the APC has perfected is to incite the people and unleash mayhem in furtherance of its greater plot to truncate our democracy by reenacting the ugly experience of December 1983. This agenda has also failed as Nigerians are no longer in the dark regarding who the true enemies of our dear country are.

APC pays newspaper columnists N5 million to discredit PDP officials - Olisa Metuh