By Jonathan Nda-Isaiah and Ademu Idakwo, Abuja
The All Progressives Congress (APC) and the African Democratic Congress (ADC) have traded accusations over allegations that the opposition occasion owes its workers greater than 12 months’ salaries, with each events accusing one another of failing to deal with points affecting Nigerians forward of the 2027 normal elections.
The controversy started after the APC Presidential Campaign Council accused the ADC management of neglecting the welfare of its staff, arguing {that a} occasion unable to fulfill its wage obligations couldn’t be trusted to manipulate the nation.
However, the ADC dismissed the allegation as an “irresponsible falsehood”, accusing the ruling occasion of resorting to propaganda to divert consideration from the financial hardship and insecurity confronting Nigerians.
In a press release issued on Monday, the spokesperson for the APC Presidential Campaign Council, Dele Alake, alleged that the ADC National Working Committee, led by Senator David Mark as nationwide chairman and Rauf Aregbesola as secretary, had didn’t pay occasion workers regardless of their continued service.
Alake described the alleged non-payment of salaries for greater than 12 months as reprehensible, saying staff who rely on their earnings for day by day sustenance shouldn’t be subjected to such hardship.
“With this development, Nigerians can now see the emptiness and insincerity of those parading themselves as ‘new saviours’,” he stated.
The APC spokesperson accused the ADC management and its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, of pursuing political energy for private pursuits reasonably than prioritising the welfare of Nigerians.
He argued that the alleged wage arrears raised questions concerning the opposition occasion’s capability to handle the nation’s affairs if elected into authorities.
Alake additionally alleged that Atiku had a historical past of owing staff in his companies, claiming that workers of Gotel Communication and different companies related to the previous vice-president had skilled months of unpaid salaries and staged protests over their entitlements.
He additional criticised Aregbesola’s document as governor of Osun State, alleging that his administration failed to fulfill its wage obligations to staff and pensioners throughout his eight-year tenure.
According to Alake, the administration launched quarter-salary and half-salary funds at completely different instances, whereas pensioners allegedly went for greater than 4 years with out receiving their entitlements.
The APC spokesperson maintained that the allegations mirrored poorly on the ADC’s dedication to accountability and good governance, urging Nigerians to reject the opposition occasion and its candidates within the subsequent normal elections.
“We are sounding a warning to Nigerians and working people now: reject ADC. Reject Atiku Abubakar and reject all ADC candidates in the next general elections,” he stated.
However, the ADC National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, rejected the allegations, difficult the ruling occasion to offer credible proof to substantiate its claims.
In a press release issued on Monday, Abdullahi described the accusation as an try to mislead Nigerians and divert consideration from what the opposition occasion referred to as the failures of President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
“The ADC categorically rejects this allegation as an irresponsible falsehood, deliberately concocted to mislead Nigerians and distract attention from the monumental failures of the Tinubu administration,” he stated.
Abdullahi insisted that the APC ought to current proof to assist its claims, together with the allegation that the ADC owed its staff 12 months’ salaries, reasonably than make what he described as fabricated accusations in opposition to the opposition.
The ADC argued that the ruling occasion was trying to shift public consideration away from urgent nationwide issues, together with the rising value of residing, unemployment and insecurity.
According to the opposition occasion, these challenges ought to kind the idea of public evaluation of the Tinubu administration because the nation approaches the 2027 normal elections.
The occasion accused the APC of specializing in allegations in opposition to opposition events as an alternative of highlighting its achievements and explaining the way it supposed to deal with the difficulties confronting Nigerians.
“It is becoming increasingly clear that the APC has decided to run its 2027 campaign on allegations against the opposition rather than achievements of its own,” Abdullahi stated.
He argued that the ruling occasion’s method demonstrated what he described as its incapability to defend its document in authorities.
The ADC additionally challenged Alake and different APC officers to elucidate why Nigerians ought to assist one other time period for the ruling occasion, citing the financial hardship and uncertainty skilled by residents over the previous three years.
“The APC may control the machinery of government, but it cannot control the lived experiences of Nigerians,” the assertion stated.
Abdullahi maintained that the ADC would stay centered on the price of residing and different points affecting residents, insisting that it could not be distracted by what it described as makes an attempt to undermine the opposition.
He challenged the APC to defend its document and current options to the nation’s challenges as an alternative of creating allegations in opposition to rival political events.
“If the APC has a record to defend, let it defend it. If it has solutions, let it present them. But it should stop insulting the intelligence of Nigerians with these increasingly desperate distractions,” he stated.
The ADC stated the price of residing would stay central to its political engagement forward of the 2027 normal elections, whereas the APC maintained that the alleged failure of the opposition occasion to pay its staff raised questions on its suitability to manipulate.
The allegations and counter-allegations underscore the rising political exchanges between the 2 events as they place themselves forward of the subsequent normal elections. The claims regarding unpaid salaries, nonetheless, stay allegations disputed by the ADC.
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