By Folorunso Alagbede, Abuja
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has described the widespread food stampede in the country as an ugly testament of the alarming level of misery, poverty, hunger, starvation, sense of hopelessness and desperation for survival currently plaguing our nation under the President Bola Tinubu-led All Progressives Congress (APC) government.
The party said this in a statement on Sunday by its National Publicity Secretary, Hon Debo Ologunagba in Abuja.
The PDP lamented the tragic stampede at private events in Oyo and Anambra States as well as the FCT, Abuja which claimed the lives of about 60 vulnerable citizens including children in their desperate struggle for food as a result of the pervasive hunger in the land occasioned by the anti-people policies of the APC administration.
According to the statement by Ologunagba, “The PDP is devastated that the APC-led administration has wrecked our once thriving economy and pushed millions of Nigerians deeper into abject poverty and hunger with many citizens, not being able to afford their daily meals, now resorting to suicide and desperate measures including slavery mission abroad and fighting for crumbs for survival.
“It is heartbreaking that despite our abundant resources as a nation, Nigerians have been subjected to agonizing life where they die struggling for food.
“This horrifying situation in the country further confirms the APC as a party of “political vampires and buccaneers” who have no iota of regard for human life but rather derive pleasure in the suffering and death of citizens including innocent children.
“Only this explains why the APC administration continues in arrogant false performance claims including empty assurances of food sufficiency while deliberately failing to make the required investments to boost the productive sector, particularly in agriculture and food production.
“This also explains why the APC administration has rejected all advice and suggestions by the PDP and other well-meaning Nigerians to review the hasty implementation of the suffocating policies of abrupt increase in the price of petroleum products and the floating of the Naira, despite the crippling consequences on the productive sector and life-discounting effect on the citizenry.
“More provoking is that instead of deploying the nation’s resources for the wellbeing of the people, the APC leaders are engaged in massive looting through direct pillaging of government vaults, budget padding, contract inflation, oil subsidy scam, palliative racketeering and phony programmes which have no benefit to the lives of the citizens, it said.
The PDP called on Nigerians to hold the Tinubu-led APC administration responsible for the remote cause of these tragic occurrences for which it must recompense.
Continuing, the leading opposition party said, “Our Party insists that any administration that is sensitive and cares for the people would have since introduced intervention programmes to ease the suffering and improve on the welfare of the masses which is the primary purpose of government.
“For the umpteenth time, the PDP demands the immediate review of all the suffocating economic and tax policies of the APC administration which are bringing misery and death to Nigerians daily.
“The PDP commiserates with Governor Seyi Makinde and the people of Oyo State for the death of the children at the private event which has brought agony and pain to many families and the people of Oyo State at this time.
“Our Party commends Governor Makinde for his rapid response in swiftly moving the victims to hospitals for immediate medical assistance which helped to save many lives.
“The PDP also condoles with the families of the victims of the Anambra State and Abuja food stampede while calling for an investigation into the immediate cause of the three tragic incidents so as to prevent such sad occurrence in the future.
“Our Party prays for the repose of the souls of dead and speedy recovery for the injured”, the statement said.
