The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has urged Nigerians not to lose hope in the country as the nation celebrates its 62nd independence anniversary, saying the “misrule of the vicious, corrupt and anti-people All Progressives Congress (APC)” would soon come to an end.

The PDP said the it is mindful of the confidence Nigerians repose in the party and its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, in “our mission to Rescue, Rebuild and Redirect our nation and return her to the path of peace, national cohesion and economic prosperity.”

The PDP said this in its independence message issued on Friday by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba.

The party stated: It is regrettable and heartrending that Nigerians are celebrating yet another Independence Anniversary under palpable bondage and harrowing stranglehold of the suppressive, coldhearted, insensitive and inhumane APC which relishes in inflicting pain and anguish on the citizens.

“In the last seven years the APC has foisted and supervised a reign of terror and subjected Nigerians to the worst form of suppression that have turned a once cheerful and prosperous nation into the poverty capital and the third worst governed country of the world.

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“In the last seven years, the APC has balkanised and dislocated the unity of our country, promoted mutual distrust among the once happy and harmonious people; created a mass of internally displaced persons; the worst since the civil war in our country.

“Since 2015, when the corrupt and treasury-looting APC, a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) fraudulently crept into our nation’s political landscape, Nigerians have witnessed life-discounting experiences with hyper-inflation, escalated unemployment, collapse of the nation’s currency, and economic meltdown arising from poor and uncoordinated fiscal and economic policies of the APC administration.

“This gloom in the state of affairs of the country is revealed by official statistics which shows unprecedented 20.9% inflation rate, 30% unemployment rate, high cost of food and medication, over 20 million out of school children, university shutdown for almost a year, collapse of the productive sector, weakened naira to abysmal N720 to a Dollar and over N40 trillion external debt without corresponding evidence in infrastructural and human capital developments in the country.

“In spite of the above the PDP salutes the resilience of the Nigerians people in their “never say die” spirit which is further emboldened in their determination to return the PDP to power in 2023.

“Our Party is mindful of the confidence Nigerians repose in the PDP and its Presidential Candidate, Atiku Abubakar, in our mission to Rescue, Rebuild and Redirect our nation and return her to the path of peace, national cohesion, and economic prosperity.

“The PDP, therefore, calls on President Muhammadu Buhari to use the remaining period of his administration to ensure and guarantee peaceful, free, fair, and credible 2023 general election.

“The PDP felicitates with Nigerians and wishes them a Happy Independence Anniversary,” the PDP said.

The Star