The Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) has slammed President Bola Tinubu for hosting the caucus meeting of the All Progressives Congress (APC) at the banquet hall of the Presidential villa.
Peter Ameh, the national secretary of CUPP said the president has set a dangerous precedent with hosting his party’s National Executive Council meeting in a location considered to be a place of neutrality and Nigeria’s seat of power.
In a statement issued on Thursday, Ameh said the hosting of the APC caucus meeting is an outright abuse of power which should be condemned by every Nigerian across the globe.
He said, “The Presidential Villa, the official residence and workplace of the President of Nigeria, is a symbol of national unity and the seat of power. It is a place where important national decisions are made and where the President receives visiting dignitaries.
“However, recent events have raised concerns about the misuse of the Presidential Villa for partisan purposes. Specifically, the hosting of the APC National Caucus meeting at the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa should be widely criticized as an abuse of power,” Ameh noted.
He also stated that the Presidential Villa belongs to every Nigerian irrespective of their party affiliation and should not be used for party activities.
Describing the action of the president on this matter as a slap on the face of Nigerians, Ameh said the erosion of the separation of powers and the politicisation of state resources and institutions can have dire consequences for the stability of Nigeria.
He said, “It is essential that the ruling party respects the neutrality of the Presidential Villa and ensures that it is made available to all registered political parties.
“Anything less would be a betrayal of the trust placed in them by the Nigerian people,” Ameh noted.
