Abuja - The All Progressives Congress (APC) lamented the alleged decision by the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to use religion as a trump card in the run-up to the general election scheduled for 2015.
Interim National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said APC was “gravely alarmed” and “totally disgusted” at the decision.
'”This irresponsible accusation by the PDP that the APC is dividing Nigerians along religious lines is a new low even for a party that stands for nothing but incompetence, looting and election rigging. It is an indication that the desperadoes in the PDP will throw everything, including the kitchen sink, into their campaign to stop the wave of change blowing across Nigeria,'” Mohammed said in Abuja.
It said the reason it had refrained from joining issues with the PDP, despite its sponsored campaign to portray the APC as an ''Islamic'' party, was because APC knew the dangers of engaging in religious politics.
“No party wishing to lead Nigeria aright can do so on the basis of religion or ethnicity. Therefore, we are compelled to warn the PDP not to play what it believes to be its trump card, the religious card, against the APC, because whatever politicians do, they must refrain from ethnic or religious politics and put their country above selfish considerations. Only an irresponsible party will play the religious card for any reason,” Mohammed said.
The party said it was neither logical nor rational to accuse a party whose 35 interim officials were almost equally split between the adherents of the two major religions (18 Muslims and 17 Christians) and cuts across all ethnic lines as an “Islamic party.”
“We are therefore warning the PDP to stop this dangerous campaign forthwith, unless of course it has decided that its interest supersedes that of the nation. If the PDP fails to stop this campaign, we will be compelled to conclude that the party (PDP) is trying to plug in to the global stereotype against adherents of a certain religion just to spread fear and garner support in certain circles,” Mohammed stated.
He appealed to people to ignore the ruling party’s stance.
“Nigerians have a history of religious tolerance that has served the country so well. We urge our compatriots to continue along this path, irrespective of the antics of a party that has finally drowned due to its own internal failings and contradictions,” Mohammed said.
– CAJ News
Interim National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said APC was “gravely alarmed” and “totally disgusted” at the decision.
'”This irresponsible accusation by the PDP that the APC is dividing Nigerians along religious lines is a new low even for a party that stands for nothing but incompetence, looting and election rigging. It is an indication that the desperadoes in the PDP will throw everything, including the kitchen sink, into their campaign to stop the wave of change blowing across Nigeria,'” Mohammed said in Abuja.
It said the reason it had refrained from joining issues with the PDP, despite its sponsored campaign to portray the APC as an ''Islamic'' party, was because APC knew the dangers of engaging in religious politics.
“No party wishing to lead Nigeria aright can do so on the basis of religion or ethnicity. Therefore, we are compelled to warn the PDP not to play what it believes to be its trump card, the religious card, against the APC, because whatever politicians do, they must refrain from ethnic or religious politics and put their country above selfish considerations. Only an irresponsible party will play the religious card for any reason,” Mohammed said.
The party said it was neither logical nor rational to accuse a party whose 35 interim officials were almost equally split between the adherents of the two major religions (18 Muslims and 17 Christians) and cuts across all ethnic lines as an “Islamic party.”
“We are therefore warning the PDP to stop this dangerous campaign forthwith, unless of course it has decided that its interest supersedes that of the nation. If the PDP fails to stop this campaign, we will be compelled to conclude that the party (PDP) is trying to plug in to the global stereotype against adherents of a certain religion just to spread fear and garner support in certain circles,” Mohammed stated.
He appealed to people to ignore the ruling party’s stance.
“Nigerians have a history of religious tolerance that has served the country so well. We urge our compatriots to continue along this path, irrespective of the antics of a party that has finally drowned due to its own internal failings and contradictions,” Mohammed said.
– CAJ News
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