PDP lawmakers says El-Rufai has secret agenda beyond 2019

Lawmakers elected under the umbrella of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the House of Representatives, have stated that Governor Nasir el-Rufai of Kaduna State has secret agenda that is beyond 2019 general elections.

The lawmakers said the governor’s secret memo to Buhari’s in 2016, which was leaked to the media, last week was a clear indication that he had hidden agenda that was unconnected to Buhari’s second term.

Addressing newsmen in Abuja, Thursday, leader of the PDP caucus in the House and Minority Leader, Leo Ogor, noted that though what El-Rufai highlighted in the leaked memo on the alleged failure of the APC government in fulfilment of its campaign promises was true, there was more to it.

El Rufai had in a 30-page letter reportedly written to Buhari in 2016, admitted that the current government had failed in many areas, especially in the fight against Boko Haram and corruption.

Ogor said, “The APC rode into power on the crest of the most fantastic promises ever made to the people of Nigeria, many of whom now grapple with intense existential difficulties.

“As lackluster management of the economy, increasing rates of crime, unemployment, suicide and other challenges continue to soar despite the hollow promise of ‘change’.

“It is against this background that one considers the leaked memo that El-Rufai addressed to President Buhari from the dual perspectives to which most commentators in the land have assigned it.

“On one hand, it is easy to commend El-Rufai for helping stimulate public discourse about the pattern of leadership under a well intentioned President who has been screened off from citizens and their realities by an insensitive and politically naive clique of aides and advisers.

“On the other hand, it is also easy to note with apprehension that El-Rufa’I, who was one of the greatest beneficiaries of the PDP’s era of dominance before moving on to APC’s seemingly greener pastures could be preparing the grounds for another agenda that goes beyond Buhari.

“It is yet further cause for apprehension to note that instead of making life easier for the populace, the APC Federal Government has been too busy turning against itself, ready for self-destruct, with the help of truckloads of discontents being offloaded from other parties before the 2019 presidential ticket becomes available. “For us as a people, we are trying to look at the reality nobody knows when 2019 will come but there are challenges on ground which El Rufa’i has pointed out.

“As dislikable as he may be but rather than to look at these issues there are some individuals who believe that this is not the truth. What we are saying is that, if somebody in the position of El Rufa’i can tell Nigerians that APC government has actually deviated from the whole challenges and the promises they have made, it shows very clearly that some of them are actually frustrated and realised that this change they promised the Nigerian people are negative change.

“We are addressing the challenges that are before us, it is now that we are speaking at this particular time. It is the APC that is speaking, somebody in the position of their governor.

“So, it will be very dangerous for us as a people to disregard what El Rufa’i has said and I say as a nation to undermine what El Rufa’i has said is more like a warning to the average Nigerian that we have made a major mistake and I think as a government and as a people, it is also important that we see how we can address these challenges from day one because the betterment of the lives of the Nigerian people is one major issue that we must all be interested in.”