Chuks Okocha in Abuja
As President Muhammadu Buhari departed Nigeria for the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday lamented that the President is attending the meeting without any definite objectives, plans and proposals to attract tangible benefits to the nation.
The party also said attending such an important meeting of world leaders and policy makers without a clear-cut national agenda shows that the Buhari Presidency is not committed to the nation, but only going out for another showboating on the international platform.
PDP, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, asked: “Is it not lamentable that while other leaders are heading to the meeting with well-articulated national proposals that will boost their nations’ competitiveness on international engagements, the Buhari Presidency is going empty with zero capacity to engage; a clear signal that it will equally return empty?”
PDP added that the sad effect of such leadership failure is worsened by the acceptability issues trailing the alleged rigging of the February 23 presidential election, for which the Buhari Presidency is largely lacking in confidence and poise to vigorously engage other world leaders on issues.
“In over four years of this administration, the Buhari Presidency has not been able to harness opportunities presented by such important events despite huge resources deployed for attendance,” PDP said.
The opposition party recalled how earlier this month, the President returned empty from the 7th Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD7), while his Ghanaian counterpart, Nana Akufo-Ado, sealed a deal with automobile giant, Toyota, to establish a Toyota and Suzuki manufacturing plant in Ghana.
PDP said since the President is appearing before the UNGA, he should use the opportunity to address world leaders on the reports by the European Union (EU), African Union (AU) and other international bodies, detailing alleged heavy manipulations and outright rigging of the 2019 general elections to favour him and his party.
“Our party also urges Mr. President to address the world on reported issues of violations of human rights, disregard to the rule of law and constitutional order, disobedience to court orders, arbitrary arrest and detention of citizens, extrajudicial killings, impunity and swelling corruption under his watch,” the party said.
PDP also insisted that Buhari should address the world on the UN Rapporteur’s report as well as issues of violent division, escalated banditry, bloodletting and general insecurity in Nigeria.
In the same vein, the PDP demanded that Mr. President should address the world on how his administration purportedly wrecked the once robust economy from a prosperous nation to the world poverty capital in a space of four years.
“Our party also urges Mr. President to assert the confidence and courage required to demand for help from other world leaders,” PDP said.
