As Nigeria and Nigerians mark the country’s 59th Independence Anniversary, the main opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has sent congratulatory messages.
In a statement from the office of the party’s spokesman, Kola Ologbondiyan, the party commended Nigerians for their resilience in standing up for the unity and survival of the nation despite the daunting challenges.
The PDP urged them to keep hope alive and not surrender to despondency in the face of the excesses, impunity and recklessness of retrogressive forces in high places seeking to undermine our national cohesion, freedom of our citizens as guaranteed by the constitution as well as emasculate the will and aspiration of Nigerians as a people.
The PDP noted that the October 1 date remains an undying signpost of our freedom and unity as a nation. It reminded of the roots of our national cohesiveness; the sacrifices of our heroes and our determination to live harmoniously and succeed as one people, in all spheres of human endeavours; a national distinctiveness for which we are known and respected all over the world.
Continued Ologbondiyan “The party celebrates the resilience and industry of Nigerians in various fields within and outside the shores of our country as well as the fortitude displayed by our citizens to remain united despite the odds.
“The PDP however notes that it is indeed depressing that after 59 years of independence and efforts by patriotic Nigerians in nurturing democratic practice and tenets, the last four years have experienced a complete retrogression to primordial division, impunity, constitutional and human rights violations, assault on institutions of democracy, disobedience to court orders, electoral malpractices and governance by a cabal.
“In the same vein, in the last four years, our nation has been faced with the challenge of falling from being one of the fastest growing economies and home to world’s happiest people to become world’s poverty capital with a citizenry confronted by misery, insecurity, escalated violence, bloodletting, kidnapping, banditry and worsened insurgency.
“The PDP however expressed optimism that the nation will eventually come out of the woods and urged Nigerians to use the occasion of the independence anniversary to rekindle their commitment towards the unity, stability and development of our fatherland, especially as we collectively await the retrieval of our stolen Presidential mandate at the Supreme Court.
“The party urges leaders at all levels to be committed and sacrificial in the discharge of their duties and desist from empty promises, rhetoric and propaganda, as Nigerians look up to them for solutions”.
Packaged by Mayowa Owogbade
