APC AND PDP: SPOT THE DIFFERENCE

by Deji Yesufu

As we draw close to another general elections in Nigeria, we encounter a large section of the electorate affirming that there is essentially no difference between the ruling part, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), and their biggest opposition, the All Progressive Congress (APC). Their reaction to this quagmire is one of two things:

some have resorted to staying with the devil they know than plunge into the deep blue sea. Others have simply made up their minds not to vote at all. This kind of mindset for a nation's electorate heading for a crucial election that might determine the future existence of that nation is not good at all and I shall be endeavoring to sway such individuals reading this article to take a firm position and that that position should be to vote for the Presidential candidate of the APC, Gen. Buhari and his deputy Prof. Osibanjo. To do this I will try to enumerate major differences between these two leading parties.

The first major difference is the attitude of the two parties to the concept of democracy. Since the advent of democratic rule in this country in 1999, the main complaint that Nigerians have had has been that we have not been able to practice true democracy. From rigged election, to trumped up primaries, coupled with a litany of election cases in couts, Nigerians have become acustomed to a kwashiokor kind of democracy. This remained until the APC organized and cocluded its presidential primaries that produced Gen. Buhari as their presidential candidate. In an

unprecedented manner, we saw votes casted transparently, votes counted and right before the eyes of everyone, the winner declared. In another unprecedented manner, the loosers congratulated the winner right there, accepting the outcome of the elections and pledging their commitment to the overall interest of the party. Contrast this with the PDP "primaries" that had president Goodluck Jonathan as sole candidate. And he was sole candidate because the largest party in Africa printed only one presidential nomination form. No opportunity was given for any other candidate to express interest to run. Jonathan was overwhelmingly selected as the PDP presidential candidate for the February 2015 elections.

Another clear distinction between the APC and the PDP is the manner their

presidential aspirants have sought to fund their various campaign programmes. While Gen. Buhari of the APC has declared that his campaign funds will come from donations made to him by ordinary Nigerians, the PDP on the other hand got business men, government agencies, state Governors and other financial heavy weights to come for Jonathan’s reelection campaign where a whooping sum of N22 Billion was raised. Three state governors that had not paid salaries to their workers in three months donated N1 Billion between them. Buhari and his team, on the other hand, declared they had raised N58 Million so far and were very grateful to all Nigerians who sent in funds. Even in this matter, it has become incredibly difficult for the PDP to publish the names of her fund donors but the APC plans to publish periodical statement on its campaign funds. It is very easy to know which party, from the forgoing, will come to power with a sense of indebtedness to the ordinary people with a commitment to serving them. While it is clear what party will continue the as usual manner of government Nigeria has been plagued with, that seeks to serve a few rich goons in a self enriching manner.

The antecedents of the two leading individuals running for the most exalted public office is another difference that is clear as noon day between them. Buhari led a Government for only eighteen months in 1983/84 and still has many testifying to the national transformation his economic and social programmes brought. Jonathan has been in power for six years and many of his leading supporters find it an herculean task to state his achievements. Buhari has a no tolerance attitude to corruption,while Jonathan has been said to have a body language that encourages corruption. Buhari put out the first Boko Haram menace, the Maitatsine, we had in this nation in a few months of their inception. Jonathan’s government has no answer to Boko Haram except for the no less than 3,000 military and civilian casualities. Buhari had a sound

ecomic policy that laughed at World Bank experimental policies, which Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, presently emir of Kano, once called Buharinomics. An economic policy that thrived despite western powers effort to furstrate it. Jonathan administration, on the othe hand, has enjoyed the highest foreign exchanges on oil, until recently, but has little to show for it except a depleted foreign reserve. Buhari's high moral and discipline mein has not been tainted one bit despite countless number religious mudslinging at him. On the hand the hundred of religious pontiffs that are known to associate with Jonathan both in public and private have not been able to bestow an ounce of sainthood on him.

The allegations that the APC and PDP are one and the same is an intellectually lazy position because it is one that comes from individuals who choose not to make a little effort to study the two parties. If the uneducated or half baked graduates push such position one can understand but it becomes criminal when supposedly enlightened fellows make such conclusions. Any elementary school pupil can play the "spot the difference" game in newspapers. These things were not designed for mere entertainment. They were made to help us in times like these. That two situations can look incredibly similar but a little effort can help bring out the differences between them. I encourage my readers to continue to spot the difference between the APC and PDP and to vote in the coming elections based on their discoveries. I can assure you that there is a world of difference between the APC and the PDP and voting for the APC, especially Muhammadu Buhari, its presidential candidate, will not be a waste.