Political leadership under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has, since 1999, provided robust economic policies and accessibility to the basic needs of life in the Niger Delta region, a chieftain and former governorship aspirant of the party, Chief Sunny Onuesoke has said.
He made the observation while speaking to the Nigerian Tribune in Warri at the weekend on the prevailing socioeconomic and political situation in the country.
“The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leadership from 1999 till 2015, no doubt, provided Nigerians with populist policies and programmes that made the party earn the respect and admiration of Nigerians.
“During the PDP era, the ultimate objective of the party included but not limited to robust economic policies and accessibility to the basic needs of life.
“This was achieved by creating a market-based economy driven by small and medium scale businesses,” he noted.
According to him, “PDP’s economic policy is centred on the people through investments in modern agricultural methods and the realization of the millennium development goals amongst others.
“PDP also aimed at establishing a leading economy in Africa and one of the 20 leading and largest economies in the world by 2020.
“During the PDP era, the party upheld the rule of law, the principles of separation of powers as enshrined in the constitution and ensured the security of lives and property of all Nigerians.”
“The question now is, how well has the All Progressives Congress (APC) government that took over from PDP barely nine years, performed in providing democratic dividends to the masses? What has APC as a government offered to the people of the South-south region and Nigerians at large?
“High rate of unemployment, poverty, insecurity, kidnappings, banditry and zero access to economic opportunities is now the order of the day. What we are experiencing now is as a result of APC’s poor handling of economic policies and programmes.
“The good people of the south-south region and Nigerians at large now desire and cry for the good, old days when PDP was in charge, when the common wealth of the nation and projects were evenly distributed,” he stressed.
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