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 his election,
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.”
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