ABUJA- The call by some opposition parties for an interim government to replace President Umaru Yar’Adua’s administration has been described as an absolute distraction.
Dr Abayomi Ferreira, President of Democratic Alternative (DA), gave the description at a news conference yesterday in Abuja at the end of the party’s National Executive Council meeting.
He said that his party was not part of those calling for the replacement of Yar’Adua’s government, adding that the call was distracting the people from focusing on issues that could better their lots.
It will be recalled that the PDP had on August 20 accused the AC, ANPP and Conference of Nigeria’s Political Parties (CNPP) of planning to destabilise Yar’Adua’s government by calling for an interim government.
Prof. Rufai Ahmed, the PDP National Publicity Secretary, said at a press conference in Abuja, that the oppositions’ action was ‘’treasonable’’ and part of an “orchestrated plot to truncate democracy’’.
Ferreira said: ‘’The call is a distraction, absolutely a distraction. Our constitution
provides for how succession will take place.
“I do not see how the concept of interim government will work. Because, there is no mechanism for interim government in our political system.
“This call is absolutely a distraction capable of distracting the people’s attention from focusing on what they think could transform their lives,’’ he said.
Ferreira said that public discussion should be on how to develop Nigeria and better
the lot of the masses, rather than discussing interim government.
On the calls for de-registration of political parties, Ferreira said limitation of political parties had always been a failure, saying all the three attempts to limit the parties by military administrations had failed.
He said such attempts were made in 1979 during the military administrations of Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo; in 1992 under Gen. Ibrahim Babangida, and also during the regime of late Gen. Sani Abacha.
According to him, the three attempts to limit participation of political parties in the nation’s electoral process had failed.
Ferreira said rather than limiting the number of parties, the more than 140
million Nigerians should be allowed to freely join parties of their choice, adding that the idea of limiting the parties was not in the interest of the populace.
On new salary package for workers, the party chieftain said his party was in total support of new salary package for the Nigerian workers in line with the recent increase in the salaries of political office holders.
He called for N35,000 minimum, saying this would bridge the already existing
gap between the lower earners and the high earners.
On the 2011 elections, he said that the DA would hold its National Convention in Ilorin on November 22 to prepare for the next general elections.
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