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UNGA 76: Minority Reps caucus flays claims in Buhari’s speech

Ndudi Elumelu

*Says speech didn’t reflect Nigeria’s true position

*’Insurgents have become emboldened under President’s watch’

Tom Okpe, Abuja

The Minority Caucus in the House of Representatives has berated the address presented by President Muhammadu Buhari at the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), asserting that the speech didn’t represent the nation’s true position.

The Caucus said it is distressed over claims in President Buhari’s address which are in complete disagreement with the ugly reality of the failures of his administration, as well as the economic, security and social ruins that have confronted the nation under his watch.

“As representatives of the people, the Minority caucus is depressed that President Buhari’s speech did not reflect on the kidnapping and killing of students and school children in Nigeria.

“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,” the caucus noted.

President Buhari returned from United Kingdom on Friday, where he attended the United Nations’ General Assembly (UNGA) and spoke on the state of the country.

But reacting to the speech on Sunday in a statement, Rt Hon Ndudi Elumelu, (PDP), Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, 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 caucus further expressed shock in Mr. President’s speech, claiming 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.”

“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 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 further stressed that after due consideration, it urged “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.

“This is because such addresses ought to serve as unblemished working document for interventions and solutions at various levels of governance,” the statement added.

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Ihesiulo Grace

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