Reps Caucus rejects Buhari’s UN speech, calls it ‘a great disservice to the country’
House of Representatives Minority Caucus has rejected the address presented by President Muhammadu Buhari at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) 76th session, in New York, United States, last Friday, saying it was not a true reflection of the current situation in the country.
Leader of the caucus, Ndudi Elumelu, in a statement, Saturday, said Buhari’s claim did not represent the true state of affairs in Nigeria, adding that his presentation was ‘a great disservice to the country.’
The President had in his speech during the 76th Session of the UN General Assembly said the Boko Haram has been severely weakened following the relentless military onslaught on the jihadists in the North-East.
However, Elumelu insisted that the economy, security, and social sectors are suffering under the Buhari administration.
“The caucus is distressed over claims in President Buhari 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.
“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.
“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,” the statement read.
