The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has described President Muhammadu Buhari’s responses at the presidential media chat as embarrassing.
According to the PDP, Buhari gave no inspiring answers to questions pertaining to his campaign promises, the fight against insurgency, rescue of the Chibok girls, the poor state of the naira and the gradual loss of democratic rights and freedom under his watch.
The party in a statement signed by Chief Olisa Metuh, its national publicity secretary on Thursday December 31, said the media chat exposed the president’s undemocratic character, showing that he has no regard for the rule of law and the self-worth of Nigerian citizens.
The statement read: “Whilst we restate our respect for the person and office of the President, we note that President Buhari bared his true colours to the world as an unrepentant tyrant.
Today, the world is no longer in doubt as to who is behind the prevailing recklessness, abuse of rights of citizens and outright flouting of judicial pronouncements by security agencies.
“A situation where the President openly pronounced persons facing trial guilty and sanctioned their continued incarceration despite being granted bail by the courts, presents a dangerous fascist practice obtainable only in totalitarian societies like Mussolini’s Italy, Hitler’s Germany, Idi Amin’s Uganda and General Than Shwe’s Burma.”
Metuh said the president’s continued disobedience for the laws and judicial institutions poses great danger for Nigeria’s democracy and constitutionally-guaranteed rights of the people, and should be resisted before it gets out of hand.
On the fight against corruption, the party said Buhari confirmed his partisanship by openly absolving his ministers and party members of corrupt practices.
The statement further reads: “On the issue of the Chibok girls, President Buhari’s embarrassing declaration of seeking information on the whereabouts and state of the girls betrays an obvious insincerity which is in total conflict with his campaign promises in that regard.
Thus by this declaration, our dear President has accepted failure on this issue and should therefore apologise to Nigerians for all the insults, abuse and aspersions cast on the past administration by himself and the leadership of his political party.
“On the issue of devaluation of the naira, there is an obvious conflict between the budget speech wherein the president stated that the government is assessing the foreign exchange rate with a view to attracting foreign investments and his categorical pronouncement during the media chat that the naira would not be devalued.
We invite Nigerians to note that the president obviously does not understand the currency that applies in the devaluation of the naira (laugh out loud).
“Furthermore, Nigerians were shocked by the President’s labeling Nigerians as ‘very difficult lot’ while responding to questions on the strategy to be adopted in implementing his promised N5,000 social welfare package.
“This unhealthy portrayal of the citizens by the very father of the nation, who has remained unrelenting in de-marketing his country through unguarded statements, is indeed a great disservice to Nigeria and its international image.
Consequently, we reject this negative labeling of our citizens and reiterate our confidence in them, especially the millions who remain honest, hardworking and credible.”
According to Metuh, it may be necessary to for the application of Nigeria’s constitution to be suspended so that Buhari will be allowed to “operate as maximum ruler for four years after which the nation can return to a democracy.”
President Muhammadu Buhari hosted his first presidential media chat yesterday, December 30 and it has been getting a lot of reactions.
During the chat, Buhari fielded questions from a panel of journalists on a number of national issues. He spoke about the Chibok girls, the Biafra agitation, naira devaluation and other national topics.
Culled from NAIJ.com
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