The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) implores President Muhammadu Buhari
to show leadership and stop allowing his re-election interest to further
de-market the nation and blocking Nigeria’s chances of accessing
international help in critical sectors.
Only yesterday, our dear nation was burdened with yet another integrity
issue following claims by President Buhari before British Prime
Minister, Theresa May, that he is not preoccupied with the 2019 general
election, when the world is already aware that he has since kicked off
his campaign.
All over the world, well-meaning leaders relegate their personal
interests, accept responsibility in the face of failure and use every
opportunity to seek help and remedy a bad situation.
Nigerians are therefore miffed that instead of presenting the true state
of affairs in our country under his watch, particularly, the comatose
economy and worsened insecurity, President Buhari, obviously in a bid to
give an impression of performance, chose to understate the challenges,
thereby jeopardizing the chances of securing much needed international
support for the country.
We are shocked that rather that engaging his international hosts on ways
to pull our economy from the biting recession, President Buhari opted
for self-praise, brandishing unsubstantiated record of achievements,
thus stalling possible beneficial bilateral discussions and engagements
in that area.
Is it not a disservice that President Buhari is sounding brass in London
instead of seeking solution for the woes the poor policies of his
administration have plunged our nation into?
In the last three years, under his watch, there have been little or no
direct foreign investments; critical infrastructures have collapsed,
with multinational companies relocating to other countries. Nigeria is
no longer among the first ten investment destinations in Africa, leading
to mass closure of businesses, massive job losses and biting poverty in
the country.
Furthermore, is it not preposterous that President Buhari told the
British Prime Minister that his administration is achieving food
security when in truth, we are facing a major food crisis in Nigeria,
with prices of staple food, particularly rice, now beyond the reach of
the citizens?
Additionally, we are sure that the British Prime Minister will be
pleasantly amazed over President Buhari’s success claims on security as
the international community is aware that security concerns have
worsened under his watch, with daily bloodletting and marauding of
communities turning our nation into a large killing field.
We are therefore surprised that our dear President failed to seize the
moment to open serious bilateral talks on practical strategies to end
the scourge and ensure the safety for Nigerians, especially given his
recent declaration that the marauders were deserters from Libya.
In spite of his belief to the contrary, it is obvious that President
Buhari is completely preoccupied with his 2019 re-election ambition for
which governance and the welfare of Nigerians have completely taken the
back seat.
Finally, we hope that President Buhari would have the opportunity to
address the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) and we
implore him to use the august occasion to present the true state of
affairs in our dear country and seek help, so that Nigeria will access
the necessary assistance from the international community.
