The Peoples Democratic Party on Monday declared that no government in the country, since independence, has done more for the Northern region than what the present administration of President Goodluck Jonathan has done for the people.
This is even as the party said the N10 reduction in the pump price of fuel by the government neither has anything to do with politics nor the forthcoming general elections.
The National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Chief Olisa Metuh, who disclosed these at a media briefing in Abuja, added however that the insurgency in the North Eastern Sstates of Borno, Yobe and Adamawa was not the making of Jonathan.
Metuh stated that the government of President Jonathan has been fair to the Northern part of the country, pointing out that the region has received much in terms of appointment into offices and infrastructure.
Speaking on the reduction in pump price of fuel, the PDP National Publicity Secretary roundly dismissed the notion that it was done because of the forthcoming elections.
According to him: “This is not the first time that we have had fuel decrease in this country.
“You will recall that when the former President, President Musa Yar’Adua, came into office, he reduced the pump price from N75 to N66. And it was on N66 for avery long time.
“That was not politics. He did it in June 2007. And there was no election.
“In this particular instance, oil price crashed in the world and the government and the Minister of Petroleum have come up that based on the international price of oil, that there will be a reduction in Nigeria. It has nothing to do with election.
“If it stays the same way that it has been, there is no justification for any increase. If the oil price remains as it is, Nigerians will be yearning for more decrease and there cannot be any justification for any increase.
“And this government cannot increase this fuel price as long as the price remains as it is in the world market.
“What Nigerians should be asking for now is a complete deregulation of the industry so that it will be reflective of the world price.”
Chief Metuh however described the campaigns of the All Progressives Congress as mere drama and empty.
Metuh was optimistic that President Jonathan will be massively voted for in the North because “he has achieved much in the zone in terms of appointments in government and infrastructural development”.
His words: “Our opponent has been talking. The party has not told people what it will do. There is no zone APC will win in the next election. PDP will win zone by zone in the coming presidential election.”
On the other hand, Metuh described the PDP campaigns in the South West and South East as successful, pointing out that people turned out enmass to welcome the party’s presidential candidate and the party leaders.