by Lekan Olanrewaju

We just knew that it was too good to be true, that is, the silence of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) over the recent war-of-words between General Muhammadu Buhari and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

Yesterday, the ACN chimed in on the issue, and without mincing words, the ACN threw its support behind General Buhari and condemned “the crude, vitriolic and impudent verbal attack on a former Head of State, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, by the presidency and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP)”. The ACN also described Buhari’s “blood will spill” comments as “his timely warning against election rigging in 2015”.

The party, in a statement issued on Wednesday in Osogbo, Osun State by its national publicity secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, stated that Buhari’s warning didn’t warrant an “attack” as he was simply delivering a relevant warning.  “It is true that if elections are rigged, as they have been so shamelessly and brazenly done by the PDP since 1999, naturally, people will react, and in doing so it is impossible for anyone to predict how far things can go.”

“This is what, in our opinion, Gen. Buhari warned against. If the presidency and the PDP have no intention to rig in 2015, why are they so worried about the consequences of such action?”

“The 2011 elections also left Nigeria divided along ethnic and religious lines, more than at any other time in the history of Nigeria, hence no one should tell us about the polls being the best since Nigeria returned to civil rule, just because some self-acclaimed monitors said so!” the ACN declared.

The party also went on to draw attention to the language used in statements from the government, which it viewed as inappropriate: “We have said it before and we will like to repeat it: any statement emanating from the presidency must be presidential through the use of civilised and elevating language,” they said.

“This is because such statements are read all over the world, and provide a window into the minds of those overseeing the affairs of state. The voice of the presidential spokesman is the voice of his principal, the President. That is why his statements must be sober and guarded, in addition to reflecting deep introspection.”