Buhari’s US Trip In Vain– PDP

The Peoples Democratic Party has described the Federal Government under President Muhammadu Buhari as lacking direction.

The opposition party said events happening after the President’s return from the United States indicated that the President and his party, the All Progressives Congress, didn’t learn anything from the four day visit.

Spokesperson for the PDP, Olisa Metuh, stated this at a press briefing in Abuja on Sunday.

He said the party had looked forward for gains from the trip,  especially given the opposition party’s restated support for any action or policy by the Federal Government aimed at stamping out corruption, ending insurgency and promoting economic growth, which, he said, formed part of the publicised agenda for the visit.
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Metu, however, regretted that there had been nothing to show that the government had gained anything from the visit.

He said, “Now that the visit has come and gone, our fear is that nothing whatsoever has been learnt or gained.

“What we continue to receive as a nation have been embarrassing disagreements, accusations and counter accusations, blames and denials on very important issue due to lack of tact and skill in the management of state matters by the APC-led administration.

“It is disheartening that rather than secure any sort of tangible gain for the fight against terrorism, which has lost steam under the APC watch, with insurgents, who were pushed to the verge of surrender by the Goodluck Jonathan administration, now surging back and spreading into the country, we get nothing but exchanges and disagreements between the Presidency and their American hosts.

“This is not only embarrassing but also a worrisome indication of crass ineptitude in the handling of international affairs on the part of the present administration.”

He urged the government to settle down and face the business of governance and the fight against insurgency with every sense of seriousness, especially given President Buhari’s promise in his April 2, 2015 CNN interview to end the scourge two months after his inauguration, which he said will expire by the end of July.

Metuh also criticised the statement made by the President while in the USA in which he was quoted as saying that he would administer the country on the basis of the voting pattern in the last general elections rather than on equity as stipulated by the constitution and his oaths of office as the President of Nigeria.

He also said the business community in Nigeria, and indeed across the world, noted with what he described as utter dismay, the alleged disgraceful treatment meted out on some Nigerian bankers and captains of industries by President Buhari during his US visit.

While agreeing that the President has the right to decide who makes his entourage on such an important official visit, which visibly excluded National Assembly leaders, economic experts and had no woman, he nevertheless added that the manner with which he allegedly shamed and walked out Nigerian businessmen sends very wrong signal to international investors and poses great threats to inflow of direct foreign investment into our country.

“These Nigerian businessmen were rejected by their President only for them to be valued by other Presidents of African nations who led them into a meeting with President Barrack Obama in their own countries on account of their investments in those nations,” he added.

Metuh also said his party noted the alleged embarrassment caused by the absence of an economic team for healthy and informed discussion at the meeting with officials of the US government.

He said whereas President Obama came to the meeting with a formidable team of experts and key federal officials, President Buhari had in his entourage some APC governors who, he said, owe salaries and billions of Naira in debts.

This action, he said, robbed the nation the benefits and gains of the discussions.

Metuh said since the President has insisted on running his government as a sole administrator, making important decisions on national affairs without recourse to relevant statutory arms and organs of government, the PDP was being compelled to demand that this administration come out clear on its expenses since assumption of office in May in keeping with its much harped stance on transparency.

“We make this demand because since the APC took office, the nation’s financial system in the absence of statutory functionaries has been enmeshed in confusion, controversy and fertile atmosphere for financial sleazes,” he added.

Metuh also alleged that his party was in possession of information that the Presidency, acting alone, has gone into discussions with the World Bank for a loan of $2.1 billion for purposes unknown to Nigerians.

He asked, “What is the loan for? What are the terms and who are those working the papers? Who are the people to decide on how the money will be spent? Is it true that the $2.1 billion loan is meant to pay back huge contributions for the APC Presidential campaign expenses?

“If truly this government is transparent, it should come out clear on this loan as well as publicise details of its expenditure in the last two months.”

The opposition party’s spokesperson also condemned what he called the recent humiliation of the immediate-past First Lady and wife of the former President, Dame Patience Jonathan, at the Port Harcourt airport where he said she was refused access to the protocol lounge based on “order from Abuja.”

He said this was not the case when the immediate past President was in power, during which he said all former Presidents and their spouses had unhindered access to the protocol lounge.

He asked if the former President erred in conceding defeat and that with this action, the Federal Government, by any means, was encouraging a sit-tight attitude by government officials.

Metuh refused to take questions after the briefing.

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