CPC Leader,  Muhammadu Buhari

Onyebuchi Ezigbo

The    Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) has expressed concern over what ir described as ‘utterlly insensitive’, President Goodluck Jonanthan’s travel to attend the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil at the time the nation witnessed a gruesome murder of innocent Nigerians by terrorrists.

The party in statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Rotimi Fashakin, said such diplomatic shuttles must be made to conform to humane, ethical and urbane standards of responsible leadership.

“CPC notes with interest President Goodluck Jonathan’s decision to jet out of the country today to attend this year’s United Nations’ Earth Summit, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from which his is expected to come back to the country on Friday.

While we accept that the President got the mandate to act always in the best interest of the state, including attending global meetings within the framework of essential diplomacy, however, it must be stressed that such diplomatic shuttles must conform to humane, ethical and urbane standards of responsible leadership, “ he said.

While refering  to last weekend’s violence eruption in some parts of Kaduna State of which the death toll of a multiple bombing and consequent reprisal attacks is said to have risen to 74, with fresh attacks were reported in Damaturu, Yobe State, Fashakin said the President would stayed back atg home to address the issue rather than embark on the foreign trip.

“The atmosphere of gloom pervading the nation is further darkened by the perceptible sense of angst that citizens wear as they mourn fellow countrymen mindlessly murdered in these incidents. The situation has since exacerbated with reprisal killings and maiming which may require extraordinary use of Executive Powers!

“At this time, the nation’s tranquil atmosphere has been truncated with spate of mindless bombings and general insecurity. It is our considered view that, this is not the propitious time for frivolous travels by the nation’s President; more so, that the reason for the journey is what a minister of environment can conveniently handle.

Jonathan’s action is akin to a head of family leaving his home still consumed by a raging inferno but finds it convenient to attend a village meeting on cleanliness of the village square, “ he said.   .
We hereby wholeheartedly condemn this show of irresponsible executive aloofness by the Nation’s ‘numero uno’.