We Realised In 2015 That Unless We Come Together, The PDP Will Succeed In Killing Nigeria- Buhari

We Realised In 2015 That Unless We Come Together, The PDP Will Succeed In Killing Nigeria. President Muhammadu Buhari has recounted how he and some opposition leaders were forced to make sacrifices that led to the merger arrangement that produced the All Progressives Congress, APC, explaining that they had to do this to prevent the country from going under.

He stressed that with the desperate situation the country found itself, the leaders of the opposition at that time had no other alternative than to sacrifice and join hands to build a party that would take out the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
Buhari made this assertion during the launch of a book, titled: ‘From Opposition to Governing Party: Nigeria’s APC Merger Story,’ written by one of the founding fathers of the APC, now Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu.

According to the President, the leaders of major opposition parties realised that it would be extremely difficult for PDP to be ousted from office without their coming together as one, hence their decision to jettison their positions and advantages to form the merger.
“We realised in 2015 that unless we come together, the PDP will succeed in killing Nigeria and we had to make sacrifices,” he said.
Tracing the origin of his relationship with Onu to his days in protective custody when Gen Ibrahim Babangida (rtd) held sway as military Head of State, Buhari revealed that Onu was among the few Nigerians who stood by him during his trying days.
“My relationship with the author is cordial. When I was placed in protective custody, he was sending people to greet me regularly. That was how the relationship developed,” Buhari stated.
While welcoming the President to the book launch, Onu urged him to factor in the grievances of the protesting youths in the South-east, even as he told the restive youths that the APC government meant well for them.
“In the South-eastern part of the country, there is a growing protest. It is important that all regions are represented in an orderly manner that represents all interests. Buhari understands the plurality of Nigeria and will do everything to accommodate all.
“The Igbos need Nigeria just as Nigeria needs the Igbos. We must assure the youths of the South-east that the administration of President Buhari means well for them,” Onu stated.
But the President was however silent on the point raised by the minister on the issues that may have led to the recent wave of agitations by pro-Biafra youth groups which have crippled economic activities in South-east zone and parts of South-south.
President Buhari however missed a golden opportunity to address the ongoing pro-Biafra protests in the South-eastern part of the country, which have crippled economic activities in the geopolitical zone and in other parts of the South-south.