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Ruling party dismisses opposition’s claims as ‘unpatriotic’
BY SEGUN ADEBAYO – Hot exchanges over the Failed State comments by the Financial Times of London are still lighting up the polity with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) berating the Federal Government for dismissing recent warning as child’s play.
The influential daily newspaper had in its recent commentary cautioned that Nigeria is gradually sliding into a failed state given available indices on ground.
According to the country’s main opposition party, it is unfortunate the APC decided to live in self-denial that Nigeria, under President Muhammadu Buhari, has all the trimmings of an unsuccessful state
A statement by PDP’s spokesman, Mr Kola Ologbondiyan, slammed the ruling party and the Buhari presidency for haughtily trivialising the country’s heart-rending slip into a failed state, saying the Presidency’s response to the Financial Times editorial has only confirmed that there is leadership failure in Nigeria.
Ologbondiyan’s statement stated thus: “Indeed, the Editorial by the Financial Times is only stating the obvious, as our nation under President Muhammadu Buhari has presented all the trappings of a failed state.”
It said the situation includes “having a rudderless government with a dysfunctional command structure that cannot guarantee security, manage our economy or even perform very simple tasks of governance”
The PDP sadly the Buhari presidency preferred to snub wise counsel and continue to drive the nation to the cliff instead of seeking help to lighten the suffering of Nigerians.
“Our great nation now tends towards a leaderless society where terrorists, bandits, kidnappers, marauders and vandals have taken the lead, running riotous across our land while those who promised to protect lives and property have gone into hiding in Aso Presidential Villa”, Ologbondiyan said, adding; “Under President Buhari, life is tilting towards Hobbesian state of nature; driven by the combined negatives of the presidency” that is clearly “incompetent and unconcerned.”
The party said Buhari’s failure in governance also clearly shows in the kidnap of over 344 pupils by bandits in his home state, Katsina, a few hours after he arrived the state on a one week private visit.
“Under Buhari’s watch, our command structure has become extremely weak that government officials now patronise bandits and rationalise acts of terrorism to the extent of blaming victims for not obtaining permission before living their normal lives as was the case in the 43 farmers beheaded by terrorists in Borno State.
“Under this failed administration, outlaws who had been pushed to the fringes by previous administration have resurged and taken control of some parts of our nation where they reportedly have to give their consent to residents before they can conduct weddings, naming ceremonies or operate their markets,” the PDP added.
Similarly, the PDP also accused the Buhari administration of wrecking the nation’s economy, by destroying the value of the naira and turning the nation into world’s poverty capital.
It therefore urged officials of the current administration to stop playing with the feelings of Nigerians by always ignoring wise counsel on how to redeem and move the nation forward.
However, faulting PDP’s endorsement of the Financial Times Editorial, All Progressives Congress (APC) said contrary to the insinuations, Nigeria is nowhere near becoming a failed state
Secretary to the Party’s Caretaker/Extra-Ordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC), Senator James John Akpanudoedehe, described the PDP’s action as “unpatriotic”.
Akpanudoedehe said in a statement in Abuja that; “From the economy to security, it is easy to sum up Nigeria with some recent recorded security incidents and the economic downturn. However, this government has displayed the political will and capacity to contain any criminal/terrorist activity and return the economy to growth.
“President Buhari’s administration, which sees the urgent need to have a better policing system for the country, is embarking on sweeping police reforms and supporting community policing, is definitely not governing a country close to becoming a failed state.”
In dismissing the Financial Times editorial, the Federal Government insisted that the country was making progress and moving in the right direction.
Despite admitting that the president was not oblivious of Nigeria’s mounting challenges, the APC said conscious efforts are on to address them, adding; “While naysayers and opposition partisans chorus their doomsday wishes for Nigeria, our dear country is nowhere close to becoming a failed state.”
“From the economy to security, it is easy to sum up Nigeria with some recent recorded security incidents and the economic downturn. However, this government has displayed the political will and capacity to contain any criminal/terrorist activity and return the economy to growth”, Senator Akpanudoedehe said.
