"Good Governance Initiative has followed with interest the accusation by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that the Social Intervention Programme (SIP) of President Muhammadu Buhari amounted to vote buying, but we have come to conclusion that the party is prematurely mourning its loss ahead of the 2019 general election and must be suffering from ‘Masses Rejection Syndrome’ (MRS)," the statement read.
A civil society group has labelled the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as a “wicked version of witchcraft” suffering from “masses rejection syndrome” for questioning the Social Intervention Programme (SIP) of the Federal Government.
There was a rowdy session at the Senate last Wednesday when Abiodun Olujimi, the Senator representing Ekiti South at the National Assembly on the platform of the PDP, accused the present administration of politicising the social intervention programme. [story_link align="left"]64699[/story_link]
However, the group said the PDP has no moral right to query the SIP scheme aimed at alleviating poverty in the country.
In a statement on Friday, Itodo Gideon, President of the group, noted that the PDP was already anticipating defeat ahead of the 2019 general election, hence its move to seek sympathisers.
The statement read: "Good Governance Initiative has followed with interest the accusation by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that the Social Intervention Programme (SIP) of President Muhammadu Buhari amounted to vote buying, but we have come to conclusion that the party is prematurely mourning its loss ahead of the 2019 general election and must be suffering from ‘Masses Rejection Syndrome’ (MRS).
“Only a party that has lost touch with reality will claim that SIP, Sure-P, TraderMoni and other schemes that directly put money in the pockets of Nigerians are meant to induce people for the reelection of President Buhari.
"These programmes are in reality the foundation to building a system of economic safety nets for the vulnerable as practised in other countries. The knowledge that the PDP failed woefully to introduce similar schemes, particularly one not meant to reward party urchins, made it conclude that President Buhari’s programmes are meant for vote buying, even when beneficiaries are drawn from across party lines. The whimpering of the PDP is therefore a clear sign that it is forecasting a resounding defeat for itself at the general election.
“PDP’s pain at this looming defeat is understandable because the kind of failure it has to its credit takes a political party 50 years of hard work to recover from, and that is only when it is contrite enough to stop insulting the populace by condemning programmes meant to improve their lot. Its current illusion is therefore not necessary, as it will only further isolate it from the people with the potential to deny Nigerians of a virile opposition.
“Our candid counsel to the PDP is for it to stop chasing shadows and face the reality that President Buhari and Nigerians have a contract that met expectations and will be renewed beyond 2019. No amount of propaganda can terminate the contract, especially since there has been no better offer to rival what Nigerians are getting other than the empty lies emanating from the PDP.
“It is most reassuring that the PDP would have to keep learning from the way President Buhari has positively affected the lives of Nigerians through the numerous projects he has delivered to the citizens.”