The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) have reacted to President Muhamadu Buhari’s statement in his New Year’s Day message in which he announced that he will not be available for future elections after serving out his tenure in 2023.
The PDP, in its reaction through its spokesman, Mr. Kola Ologondiyan described the message as uninspiring, tasteless, repetitive and vacuous.
He said it does not inspire any hope for a nation in dispair.
The PDP advised the president to withdraw his remark that he would be “standing down” in 2023.
“Indeed, President Buhari should stop presenting a picture as if he has the option to continue in office beyond 2023.
“Whether President Buhari likes it or not, he and his All Progressives congress (APC) will exit the arena at the end of this tenure. History is replete with lessons from those who sought to stretch our nation beyond her limits,” Ologbondiya said.
The party advised the president to issue a fresh New Year message to show remorse for the corruption, incompetence, and misrule of his administration, as well as admonish his APC against its alleged crass insincerity, violence, and divisive machinations that had brought so much pain, anguish, and despondency to the nation.
“Indeed, any discerning mind could see that President Buhari has finally switched into valedictory mode, having realised that Nigerians have seen through the falsehood, lies and deception that have characterised his incompetent and corrupt presidency for almost four years.
“The citizens are no longer swayed by empty promises and false performance indices as replete in Mr. President’s New Year message.
“Our party restates that President Buhari should therefore end this showboating by issuing a fresh New Year message to demonstrate a commitment to electoral reforms by returning the Eighth Assembly Electoral Act amendment bill, which he refused to sign, to the national assembly without any further delay,” he added.
The party called on the president to apologise to Nigerians for the violation of human rights, attacks on institutions of democracy, disobedience to court orders and constitutional violations under his administration as well as order an immediate investigation and prosecution of all those who played roles in these ugly episodes.
“President Buhari should also order the immediate prosecution of his party leaders who perpetrated violence in the 2019 general election as well as the governorship elections in Ekiti, Osun, Bayelsa and Kogi states where APC used thugs and compromised security agents to unleash mayhem and kill innocent compatriots who came out to perform their civic responsibility at the polls,” it added.
Furthermore, the party said: “Even when he admitted in his opening that the turn of the New Year is a time for stock-taking and unfolding of new prospects, Nigerians are invited to note that Mr. President, in his entire speech, could not point to any single achievement he made in the out-going year, neither could he unfold any development prospect for the New Year.
“President Buhari has no prospects on security despite the daily killings in the land. Even as a commander-in- chief, he has no words for our gallant troops daily laying down their lives, fighting insurgents in the North East. He had no soothing word for the victims of bloodlettings in various parts of the country.
“President Buhari had no prospects on our ailing economy. He has no plans for our grossly under-performing power sector; nothing on health, education, agriculture, transportation, commerce and industry.
“President Buhari said nothing about burning labour issues in the country. He also choose to overlook the ASUU strike that has crippled our tertiary institutions. He has no plans on how to shore up the value our naira, increase purchasing power of citizens and reduce the high costs of goods and services in our land.
“Instead, President Buhari, dwelt on unnecessary diatribes, finger- pointing, hate speech and fixation on the 2019 general elections, in which an imminent defeat awaits him and his party, the APC.”
Also reacting, CAN said the president’s message was not impressive.
CAN criticised Buhari’s analysis regarding security, economy, and rule of law, stressing that his speech contradicted the realities experienced in the country.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria, CAN furthet said it remained skeptical of the president’s declaration of his intention to stand down from politics in 2023, describing it as mere political rhetoric.
Besides, it condemned the Buhari’s silence on religious persecution and other related crimes in the country.
CAN made its position known by its Vice Chairman (northern region), Rev. John Hayab, during a media briefing.
“It is unfortunate that New Year speeches by our political leaders have become objects of mockery and deceit.
“We look forward to the 2020s as new opportunities for the government to give some bite to its promises. Over the years, we have read and heard many New Year messages that were never translated into actions.
“Our leaders have become so insincere with their speeches; that the ordinary Nigerian finds nothing spectacular in them.
“The President said he will be standing down from politics in 2023; but we consider that announcement as a political statement. He once told Nigerians that he won’t be running for President after 2011 polls; but he ran in 2015. President Buhari had also said he would do only one term in office but he is on a second term today.
“So until he really shuns the ‘enemies’ of our nation, who are always urging him to recant his promises; and actually stands down from politics in 2023, we won’t take him seriously on this matter.
“We are all aware of the Christmas day killings and several other attacks by insurgents in the northeast region. These clearly show that violent extremism and the networks; that help finance and organise terror in the country are yet to be dismantled by the security agencies.
“So the government must first come clean and be honest about the true state of insecurity in the country; before its lasting solution can be found and adopted for the good of all.
“It was absurd for the President to have said government’s actions at all times have been governed by the rule of law. If that was the case, all the drama we witness about Sheikh El-Zakzaky, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd), and Omoyele Sowore would have been unnecessary.”
