The All Progressives Congress (APC) has lambasted the immediate past chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Attahiru Jega, for speaking against the credibility of the current administration to deliver true dividends of democracy to citizens.
Jega, in an interview with BBC Hausa on Monday, called on Nigerians to dump both the APC and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for a more credible political platform in the 2023 general elections.
He compared the country’s two largest parties to “Siamese twins of corruption” which have failed to change the economic fortune of Nigeria in the last 20 years.
“The bad things these parties have committed in those past years, Nigerians should never give their trust to the parties again. It is now very clear that these parties would never change, even if they are given another chance.
“The APC and PDP have formed governments, we were all witnesses. They did not come with a good intention to make amends. If you look at the fight against corruption, all these corrupt people that were supposed to be prosecuted, they sneaked into the APC,” he said.
Jega canvassed support for the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP).
Reacting to the interview, the APC said it is degrading to compare its six years rule to the ‘mess’ the PDP left behind with its 16 years rule.
“While the PDP failed to meet the expectations of Nigerians as a government and opposition party, the APC is thriving, healthy and assiduously cleaning the massive mess left behind by the PDP which failed to deliver democratic dividends to the people of Nigeria after being in charge of the country for 16 years.
“While Professor Jega is right about the PDP, a party under which he served as the Chairman of the nation’s election management body, we reject his comparison of the APC with the PDP.
“Professor Jega got his facts wrong and mixed up in his baseless comparison of the PDP with the APC,” the ruling party said in a statement by its interim National Secretary, John Akpanudodehe.
Mr Akpanudodehe said the former INEC chairman’s comment was a political move aimed at promoting his (Jega) political interest.
