A former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Ghali Umar Na’Abba,
has vowed not to support President Muhammadu Buhari in his bid to be
reelected in 2019.
Mr. Na’Abba made this vow during an interview with a TV presenter,
Osasu Igbinedion, where he also revealed that Mr. Buhari had in November
2017 disclosed to the members of the Board of Trustees of the All
Progressives Party (APC) that he would seek reelection.
The former speaker, who is a member of the board, explained that he
left the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) for the ruling APC in order to
support Mr. Buhari, but said he is now disappointed with the outcome as
the president “has not added even an inch of value to democracy.”
“From his utterances, I believed he wanted to improve democracy. This
is three years into his administration, he doesn’t work with the party,
he regards party members as evil, he doesn’t consult anybody in the
party.
“I had the occasion to sit down with the president and tell him this
is what is wrong. And all he told me was that things were wrong before
but now, with hiselection, everything is right. And I was very, very disappointed.
“He promised to reconstitute the boards. Before, he refused to do
that because he thought politicians are responsible for all the evils in
this country. He also promised to increase the number of ministers. In a
nutshell, the president has not added value to democracy by an inch. It
is only when there is democracy and competence that every Nigerian,
regardless of who they are, will be able to make it on life. There is no
way I can support him”, he said.
When asked if the APC would produce another presidential candidate
other than Mr. Buhari, Mr. Na’Abba said some party members have
”hijacked and pocketed the party.”
He distanced himself from those endorsing the president for a second term.
“Nigerians have chosen democracy as the system within which they
produce their leaders, and that any president who comes must ensure that
the democratic architecture is improved substantially because it has
been weak, it is still weak and will continue to be weak.
“They said they have endorsed him to contest. I am sure they did not
ask the opinion of anybody since they have put the party in their
pocket,” he said.
He added that, ”there is no democracy in the country and no democracy
in the party as well,” and that, ”Nigerians are in serious trouble.”
source-premium times
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