APC will deliver true democratic dividends to Nigerians in 2017 – Spokesman

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has assured that it will do everything possible to ensure the delivery of true democratic dividends to Nigerians.

Mr Bolaji Abdullahi, the party`s National Publicity Secretary, gave the assurance when he briefed newsmen in Abuja on Monday.

Abdullah’s said the party started the year on a peaceful note without any distraction as was the case in 2016 when it was faced with leadership crisis in the National Assembly.

“If you recall, a year ago, the party was engulfed with so much crisis, especially with the issue of leadership crisis in the National Assembly that is now behind us.

He expressed happiness that the party was starting the year 2017 on a more conducive note.

According to him, this will ensure stability within the party and more cohesion and unity that will  enable it deliver on the expectations of Nigerians based on its campaign promises.

He, however, said that the 2016 budget was the first the APC Government implemented and attributed the hardship faced by most Nigerians in the year to the economic recession.

Abdullahi said that what happened in 2016; “was a fallout of the adjustment that needed to happen’’.

He stressed that the APC-led Federal Government was conscious of the hardship Nigerians were going through.

This, he added, was the reason it began the year with its social welfare initiative of giving N5, 000 monthly stipends to the poorest of the poor across the country.

Abdullahi said the initiative was an immediate response and a demonstration that the Federal Government was aware of the difficulties that the poor in the society was experiencing.

He, however, expressed optimism that the 2017 budget which was captioned budget of recovery by President Mohammadu Buhari would indeed bring about the desired change to all Nigerians.

He therefore, appealed to Nigerians to continue to support the APC government, especially at the national level, noting that “it remains the party with the possibility to deliver the greater good to Nigerians’’.

The APC`s spokesman, however, decried the utterances of some of the party`s spokespersons in its state chapters, which he said, was unbecoming of a ruling party.

According to him, some of the spokespersons while responding to some legitimate issues, failed to reflect the party`s profile and standard.

“When you speak for a ruling party, you need to speak with high level of responsibility and awareness of the implications of what you are saying.

“I think there are ways we have spoken to people while responding to issues in the past that is not necessarily the right way a ruling party should be speaking to people’’.

Abdullahi added that to address the issue, plans were under way to organise a workshop for the party`s spokespersons across the country.

This, he said, was critical to brainstorm on the way forward to change the language of conversation and reflect on the party`s profile as a ruling party.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the APC, North Central Zone, approved the nomination of Abdullahi, a former Minister of Sports as the party`s spokesman on Dec. 2, 2016.