PDP Attacks Buhari Presidency For ‘Trivializing’ Financial Times Warning That ‘Nigeria Becoming A Failed State’

The main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has tackled the President Muhammadu Buhari administration for “trivializing” an editorial article published by the Financial Times, in which the international daily warned that Nigeria risked becoming a “failed state” under Buhari’s watch.

THE WHISTLER had reported how the Presidency, on December 23, alleged that there was a grand plot by “disgruntled” politicians to portray President Buhari as not being in charge of the country.

This website noted that the Presidency failed to mention names or provide evidence of the alleged plot, but it has become evident that it was reacting to the Financial Times’ editorial.

President Buhari’s senior media adviser, Femi Adesina, had claimed that some “pliant online media” had been compromised in the alleged plot to “launch orchestrated campaign of calumny” against Buhari, in which the president “would be portrayed as not being in charge of the country, a narrative already started from a procured offshore medium by the instigators.”

THE WHISTLER reports that the Financial Times, in the editorial published on December 22, had noted that, “In a country going backwards economically, carjacking, kidnapping and banditry are among Nigeria’s rare growth industries.”

But the Presidency, in its response on December 23, said “Money and other attractive inducements are being dangled before the online media, and some of them are already complicit, cooking up stories with jejune and unsubstantiated allegations, all to sow seeds of discord and discontent in the country.”

Reacting, however, on Sunday, the PDP chided the Buhari administration for “arrogant trivialization of our nation’s tragic descent to a failed state under the incompetent and corrupt Buhari-led All Progressives Congress (APC) administration, further confirms that our nation is on autopilot with nobody in charge.”

The opposition party said the Financial Times editorial had confirmed its position that there was alleged total leadership failure in the country.

The PDP’s reaction was contained in a statement issued by its national spokesperson, Kola Ologbondiyan, on Sunday night.

The party said, “the Buhari Presidency prefers to rebuff wise counsel and continue to drive our nation to the precipice instead of seeking help for the sake of millions of traumatized Nigerians.

“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 riotous 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 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 party further urged the current administration to, “stop playing with the sensibilities of Nigerians by their arrogant dismissal of wise counsel on how to redeem our 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.”