APC Manifesto Unrealistic, Deceitful - PDP

The national leadership of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party has said the electoral promises made to Nigerians by the main opposition political party, the All Progressives Congress are not realistic.

It, therefore, urged Nigerians to discard them, saying there was no way the APC Presidential Candidate, Maj.Gen. Muhammadu Buhari(retd.) would fulfill such promises if elected.

It also accused the APC of deceiving Nigerians in a bid to win votes, saying the APC had formed the habit of "one day, one lie".

The National Publicity Secretary of the party, Mr. Olisa Metuh, stated this at a press briefing in Abuja on Wednesday.

He said the PDP had performed well with its present programmes for the nation, and that the APC can never match what the PDP had done for the country in the last 16 years.

Metuh insisted that the promise of monthly stipend to unemployed youths by the APC in relation to its cost on the finances of the nation, was unrealistic and unrealisable.

He said, “The APC in one of its phantom promises said it would pay a stipend of ₦5,000 each to 25 million poor Nigerians monthly. This gives a total of ₦125 billion each month and ₦1.5 trillion every year.

“What is baffling is that the APC knows full well that this is not only unrealistic but also impracticable in a nation with an estimated budget of ₦4.69 trillion comprising recurrent and capital expenditures yet they continue to dish it out to unsuspecting citizens in a clear bid to mislead.

“Also, the deceitful tendency of the APC came to light in its promise to create 740,000 direct jobs in each of the 36 states of the federation and the FCT within one year while on the other hand promising to create one million jobs for Igbo youths also within the same period. We ask, which do we believe?

“The APC has also promised to provide free education, daily free meals for millions of Nigerian school children, free tertiary education, free health care and free houses to Nigerians.

“The opposition knows too well that this is unrealistic yet they prefer to brandish falsehood.”

He challenged the APC to explain to Nigerians how it would fulfill such promises with the prevailing 40 percent  drop in national income and dwindling oil price in the international market.

Metuh said, “These promises are therefore either bogus or part of their plot to subject the citizens to a harsh tax regime ostensibly to finance Bourdilon Drive and other personal interests, the real reason they desperately seek power.

“We therefore challenge the APC to come forward and admit before Nigerians that these promises are false and merely deceitful if not they should be bold enough to tell Nigerians that they are planning to skyrocket our personal income and company taxes if they ever get to power.”

According to the PUNCH, Metuh insisted that the PDP government is workers and investors-friendly as the tax regime under its leadership is good for an average Nigerian while insisting that the APC will impose terrible tax regime on the people to achieve a minute of its numerous promises, even if it will give it a try at all.