Pan-Yoruba socio-cultural organisation, Afenifere, has expressed disappointment with President Muhammadu Buhari’s Tuesday independence day broadcast to Nigerians, saying that the message does not address the current challenges bedevilling the country.
The group said the President’s continued silence on burning issues plaguing the country had become worrisome; stressing that he should have used the occasion to disclose how they would be tackled.
President Buhari, who assumed a second term in office in May after winning a disputed presidential election, has come under increased attacks among some sections of Nigerians over his administration’s failure to initiate meaningful economic policies to get millions of Nigerians out of poverty.
Read Also: Nigeria @59: Buhari’s government needs to push ICT development to Frontrow
His administration has also been criticised for failing to tackle widespread kidnapping, banditry and killings which have worsened security situation across the country.
But reacting to the President’s Independence Day broadcast to Nigerians in an interview with Businessday, Tuesday, Publicity Secretary of Afenifere, Yinka Odumakin, noted that there was a deliberate neglect of salient issues plaguing the country in the speech.
According to him, “Buhari’s speech was just about what he is planning to do and the usually corruption talk that we have been hearing.
“But you expect an Independence Day speech to address the challenges facing the country. Today, there is division within Nigeria and it is affecting our nationhood, but these issues were neglected,” Odumakin said.
Speaking further, Odumakin, equally faulted the empowerment programmes unfolded by the President, describing it as diversionary.
“Today, if anybody thinks the empowerment programmes Buhari is talking about would take Nigeria out of precipice such person is joking; it is a waste of time. The speech is silent on what the country needs and how he is going to tackle the several issues plaguing the country,” Odumakin added.
