NASS Minority Caucus Dismisses Buhari’s UNGA Speech As Disservice To Nation

By Akinwale Kasali

The Minority Caucus in the Green Chamber of the Federal House of Representatives led by Minority Leader, Rt. Hon. Ndudi Elumelu, has condemned the speech made by President Muhammadu Buhari in his address at the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly, UNGA, in New York, USA, alleging he was neither truthful and factual.

The Caucus said his speech was not the true state of the nation, stressing that it is in complete disagreement with the ugly reality of the failures of the present administration in the country under the leadership of President Buhari.

In a Statement by the Caucus signed by Hon. Elumelu Saturday September 25th, 2021, it described the President’s Speech as a great disservice to the nation, saying that the address he presented to the world leaders was not in any way the true picture of affairs in Nigeria.

The statement by the Caucus stressed that it has extensively reviewed the address presented by President Buhari at the United Nations Headquarters and was perturbed by the claims of the President which are not in tandem with the reality of his administration’s failure economically, security-wise and the social ruins that have bedeviled the country under his watch.

It further added that the Caucus is aggrieved with the President for not presenting the true picture of affairs in the 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.

Part of the statement reads:

“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.

“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.

“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.

“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.

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