The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has slammed the Federal Government for dismissing a recent Editorial by the Financial Times warning of Nigeria’s gradual slide into a failed state.
The Nigerian authorities had dismissed the report, insisting that the country was making progress and moving in the right direction.
In a statement on Sunday, December 27, 2020, by the spokesman for the PDP, Kola Ologbondiyan, the party carpeted the administration for what it described as the regime’s arrogant trivialization of the nation’s tragic descent to a failed state.
Citing the administration’s incompetence and corruption for the present state of affairs, the PDP further stated that the Financial Times report was a confirmation that the nation was on autopilot, with nobody in charge.
The PDP insisted that there is complete leadership failure in Nigeria and flayed what it described as the administration’s conceited response to the harsh realities on ground.
The party said it is sad that the Buhari Presidency prefers to rebuff wise counsel and continue to drive the nation to the precipice instead of seeking help for the sake of millions of traumatized Nigerians.
The statement said: “Indeed, the editorial by Financial Times is only stating the obvious, as our nation under President Buhari has presented all the trappings of a failed state, including having a rudderless government with a dysfunctional command structure that cannot guarantee security, manage our economy or even perform very simple tasks of governance.
“Our great nation now tends towards a leaderless society where terrorists, bandits, kidnappers, marauders, and vandals have taken the lead, running riotously across our land while those who promised to protect lives and property have gone into hiding in Aso Presidential Villa.
“Under President Buhari life is fast tilting towards Hobbesian state of nature; driven by the combined negatives of an incompetent and unconcerned Presidency and a reckless, kleptomaniac and dysfunctional ruling party that is more interested in power-grabbing instead of governance.
“President Buhari has badly failed in governance to the extent that over 600 students could be kidnapped by bandits in his home state, Katsina, a few hours after his security machinery took over the state, where he had gone to the holiday.
“Under Buhari’s watch, our command structure has become extremely weak that government officials now patronize bandits and rationalize 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.
“It now takes Presidents of neighboring countries like Chadian President Idris Derby to personally lead his troops into our territories to rout out insurgents and free Nigerian communities and our soldiers held captive by terrorists.
“On the economy front, the Buhari administration has wrecked our once robust economy, destroyed the value of our naira, and turned our nation into world poverty capital, where life has become so unbearable that compatriots now resort to suicide and slavery mission abroad as options.”
The PDP cautioned officials of the Buhari government to stop playing with the sensibilities of Nigerians by what the party described as their arrogant dismissal of wise counsel on how to redeem the nation.
“They should advise President Buhari to take a back seat and allow competent hands to manage critical sectors of our national life before it is too late,” the statement added.
