TAN Faults APC's 'Misplaced' Attack
SAN FRANCISCO, September 12, (THEWILL) - The Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria (TAN) calling for suppport of President Goodluck Jonathan Thursday faulted what it described as the misplaced attack on TAN by the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The group also stated that though it is not a political party and would ordinarily not engage in diatribes with any political party or group, it maintained that TAN would not watch truth being turned upside down in the name of politics.
In a statement issued by its Director of Communications, Dr Udenta.O. Udenta, TAN said: ” Our attention has been drawn to a statement issued on Wednesday, September 10, 2014 by the spokesman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Alhaji Lai Mohammed, concerning rallies being held across the country by the Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria (TAN).
“Ordinarily, we would not have bothered ourselves replying to a spokesman that has court for himself a reputation for fabricating lies and dishing it out to the public as believable truths but TAN needs to enlighten Nigerians properly on its role in the political reconstruction going in the country.
“As a non-governmental organisation properly registered by Corporate Affairs Commission to carry out specific responsibilities in the ongoing political re-engineering in the country, TAN has not in any way gone outside the law to warrant APC's indecorous language.
“If the impact of TAN is causing some discomfort to the opposition party in its desperation to grab power, it should look inward and not engage in mindless attacks.”
The statement said Alhaji Lai Mohammed, exposed his party's double standard when he found TAN citizens' sensitisation rallies uncharitable 24 hours after his party held an unvarnished political rally in Sokoto State.
TAN then asked; ” Was the country not in a war as APC claimed, when it embarked in the Sokoto rally? Has Ebola virus suddenly disappeared in the country that enabled the Sokoto rally to take place?
“Where and how did Lai Mohammed arrive at his conclusion that TAN's rallies are offending the sensibilities of the families of our citizens and knows that Sokoto rally did not? “Why did APC hold the Sokoto rally when the Chibok Girls are yet to be released and Boko Haram is not defeated?”
Maintaining that TAN is not a political party and would ordinarily not engage in diatribes with any political party or group, the statement said TAN would not watch truth being turned upside down in the name of politics.
It also stated that it has no apology to offer to anyone in its mission of showcasing the verifiable landmark achievements of President Goodluck Jonathan, saying “We expected the opposition to fault us on that score but because of the dearth of evidence against what we are heralding; they now choose to chase shadow by dishing lies to Nigerians.”
According to the statement, “Because TAN by its vigorous activities is not letting APC realise its desired ambition of making sure that all achievements of President Goodluck Jonathan are drowned in its negative politics and insipient media, it now feels it can turn the heat on us.”
TAN said it would go to any length to defend its legitimate role in the polity and would not shy away even if it means confronting and exposing APC's anti-democratic behavior.
“The innovation that TAN is bringing into the nation's political space should attract positive comments to discerning minds. If anybody is uncomfortable, it must be based on selfish ground.
“Finally, since its inception, TAN has maintained a positive attitude and disposition towards all Nigerian institutions and platforms in a single minded celebration of the Nigerian possibility under President Goodluck's watch devoid of rancor, strife ,bitterness and discord by its callous abandonment of the tenets of decency and respect that ought to govern the public advocacy space through its revolting diatribes and unconscionable attacks against TAN,” the statement added.