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The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has said only Nigerians are in a position to say why the party was rejected at the poll in the last general elections.
PDP said its rejection despite the achievements the party recorded in the last 16 years, during which it was in control of the Federal Government was still a surprise.
Chief Olisa Metuh, National Publicity Secretary of the party, stated these at a press briefing on the 17th Anniversary of the formation of the former ruling party in Abuja on Monday.
Metuh said his party did well by not only promoting the spirit of democracy in the 16 years, but by also fighting corruption and promoting the image of the nation.
But when asked whether with such achievements, he was astonished that majority of Nigerians still rejected the party during the last general elections, he said only Nigerians could provide answer to the question.
Metuh said, “Only the electorate can say why we were rejected. We must have made our mistakes and some of the issues that affected the election had to do with the people.
“We believe that we did our best for the Nigerian people and we got the largest number of people from the Diaspora to start business here.
“In those 16 years, we did our best. We created a system where merit was recognised.
“We created a lot of super rich Nigerians like Dangote, Oando and other companies. Nigerian companies now compete with foreign companies in the oil and gas sector.”
He said it would be wrong to say that the party created corruption, adding that because of its belief that corruption should be stamped out of the country, the party, through the Presidents it had produced, fought the menace with vigour.
He said this was the reason why anti-corruption agencies like Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission were created.
He said, “Was corruption part of our achievements, no. In fact, anti-corruption was part of our achievements because we formed and created EFCC and the ICPC.
“These agencies were created with strict establishing and operation laws to ensure effectiveness and immunity from executive interferences.”
He added that down the years, SERVICOM desks were opened in ministries and agencies to further ensure ethical standards in government business.
Metuh added that as a result of these deliberate policies, human rights and business friendly environments were created and it saw to the massive return of Nigerians in the Diaspora and the influx of direct foreign investments into the country.
