President Buhari lied by saying He was not aware of the United Nations insurgency meeting -- PDP

Olisa Metuh

THE national leadership of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, yesterday, described as an insult to the country President Muhammadu Buhari’s failure to attend the 70th United Nations’ General Assembly meeting of countries affected by insurgency.

National Publicity Secretary of the party, Chief Olisa Metuh, who addressed the media on the issue yesterday, accused the Presidency of being economical with the truth.

Metuh lamented that the President could afford to be absent at a meeting where the sensitive issue of humanitarian crisis arising from the insurgency in Lake Chad countries was discussed.

He said by claiming that Buhari was not aware of the meeting, the Presidency lied because the said meeting on humanitarian crisis was contained on the official brochure tagged High Level Event on the Lake Chad Basin.

Metuh said: “Further reports indicate that due to the importance of that meeting, it was broadcast on United Nations’ official online television and radio channels, while officials of world bodies have continued to register their disappointment in our country due to the incompetence of the APC-led government.

‘’Instead of admitting failure and apologizing to Nigerians, the Presidency sought to hoodwink the public by claiming that the meeting was not one of the official events for which the President and his delegation are in New York.

“It is disheartening to note that the same meeting the President Buhari-led delegation shunned actually yielded a fall out of $6.8 million announced by the United States as funding for regional aid efforts.”

He regretted that whereas other affected Chad Basin countries were fully represented and had fruitful discussions with officials of the world body, the government of Nigeria, which had the biggest challenge of displaced persons, refused to attend the meeting.

On ministers as  noise makers

Metuh also said that for calling ministers noise makers, President Buhari would not attach any value or importance to them if he eventually appointed them, adding that the non-appointment of ministers after about four months in office was a pointer to the fact that the President wanted to run an authoritarian government.

He said: 

“From his hesitancy and comments, it is deducible that President Buhari never intended to appoint ministers but rather prefers to run a monocracy and evidently does not value or respect those he would nominate as ministers.

“Otherwise, how can anyone repackage the mindset of the President when he, in an

interview with France 24 Television in France, stated categorically that his preference is to rule without a cabinet and denigrated ministers as ‘noise makers,’ and of no importance or value in the running of an administration?ý”

Metuh also noted the diplomatic mix-up experienced during the UN visit, which resulted in the breach of protocol, crass ineptitude and monumental embarrassment in the late appearance of President Buhari to Pope Francis’ meeting with other world leaders.

He said: “This is most damaging to the image of the country, especially as we note that the damage did not arise out of disrespect for the Pope, but due to the incompetence of those around our beloved President.”