Members of the minority caucus of the House of Representatives have accused President Muhammadu Buhari of misrepresenting the country at the just-concluded United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York.
The lawmakers in a statement on Saturday said Buhari in his speech before other world leaders, failed to say the truth about the bad economic and security situation in Nigeria.
Apart from that, the statement signed by Ndudi Elumelu on behalf of other lawmakers in the caucus accused the President of failing to make any commitment by his administration to arrest the downward trend been experienced in many sectors of the nation.
The lawmaker observed that while the President told the UN gathering that Nigeria is winning the war against bandits and terrorists, the reality and truth is that the criminals are getting bolder and attacking military and security formations.
The statement said schools, markets, and other public places are been forced to shut down in many communites due to insecurity but the President told the world otherwise.
He pointed out that if Buhari had not concealed the truth, the world leaders might have been moved to help Nigeria more in the battle against insecurity and economic downturns.
He said, “Our caucus holds that President Buhari’s speech is a great disservice to our nation by not presenting the true picture of affairs in our country; the human rights violations, corruption, and incompetence in his administration; the excruciating hardship, escalated insecurity, national divisiveness and infrastructural decay under his watch, thereby blocking avenues for desired intervention in our various ailing sectors.
“The Minority caucus was alarmed by President Buhari’s report to UNGA that terrorists have been so weakened in Nigeria that they are now preying on soft targets, when in reality, insurgents have become so emboldened under his watch, that they are now attacking military formations, kidnapping and killing our gallant officers while overrunning communities and murdering our citizens without restrain.”
The statement added, “The speech did not reflect on the closure of schools and crippling of education in many parts of our country, where normal life has been destroyed by terrorists, neither did it show any empathy towards the victims of terrorism attacks.
“Our caucus is worried that in reflecting on violent conflicts, Mr. President’s address conveyed no personal commitments that can guarantee an end to poor and undemocratic governance, human rights abuses, poverty, ignorance, injustice and inequalities, that are prevalent under his watch, even after identifying such as the causes of conflicts.”
In picking holes in the President’s UNGA statement, the lawmakers expressed shock about the COVID-19 hospitals Buhari claimed to have built across the nation.
It added that the ineptitude of the current administration was further amplified on the global stage while the citizens continue to hope for true change even as a golden opportunity to receive help from the international community has been missed.
“Also, the minority caucus is shocked by the claims in Mr. President’s speech that his administration “built” isolation centers and emergency hospital wards, “all over the country” “in record time” in the fight against Covid-19; a claim that is in conflict with the infrastructural reality in the country.
“Moreover, our caucus is worried that Mr. President’s speech did not portray any decisive roadmap towards economic recovery and food security; had no personal commitment to end corruption in his administration; had no personal commitment to end borrowing or show a clear-cut plan to repay the huge debt being accumulated by his administration.
”The speech also lacked definite personal commitments towards credible electoral process especially as the nation approaches 2023 general election.
“The Minority caucus, after due consideration, urges President Buhari to always cross check the content given to him by his handlers so as to ensure that his position, especially on the world stage, captures the reality as well as aspiration prevalent in the country.
“The caucus fears that the nation might lose the needed intervention, since President didn’t open up on his incapacitation on myriad of challenges confronting the citizens.”
Meanwhile, Naija News earlier reported that President Buhari has departed New York and is on his way back to Nigeria.
This article was originally published on Naija News