Nigeria's largest opposition party has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to apologise to Nigerians on his 'necessary evil' comment against residents of FCT, over votes collated from the Federal Capital Territory in the just concluded presidential election.

The PDP in a statement signed by the national publicity secretary of the PDP, Kola Ologbondiyan, on Wednesday, June 5, said the resort by the president to the branding of Nigerians "necessary evil" for rightly exercising their rights was completely unpresidential, which is capable of demonizing innocent compatriots and setting them up for victimization by overzealous agencies, in which such divisive statement should be condemned by all.

He said President Buhari should be aware that he was not only rejected by settlers of FCT only but also by a comprehensive majority of Nigerians across the states of the federation, who voted massively for the PDP.

He also alleged that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) only subverted the will of the people in his favour by announcing him (President Buhari) winner of the 2019 presidential election.

Ologbondiyan said, “Furthermore, the PDP criticized President Buhari for stating that ‘to make FCT secure is to make myself secure and the Vice President”.

 The PDP said President Buhari should know that it is the duty of the President to provide security for all parts of the country, irrespective of where he and the vice president reside or how Nigerians cast their votes.

The party also said that the security of lives of all Nigerians ought to have been paramount to the president and not determined by inessential factors.

Ologbondiyan further called on President Buhari to apologize to Nigerians for his divisive comment against the residents of the FCT.

"The party also urges Nigerians to continue in their determination to retrieve the stolen Presidential mandate at the tribunal, so as to have an administration that truly cares for the citizens, in line with the provisions of our laws," Ologbondiyan concluded.

CEOAfrica recalls that President Buhari had described the residents of FCT as a “necessary evil” for voting for the PDP in the 2019 elections, when FCT residents on Tuesday paid him a Sallah visit at Aso Rock.

President Buhari also said that he was putting necessary measures in place to make Abuja secure for himself and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.