Okogie Calls Buhari’s Govt “A One Man Show”… Says Nigeria Sliding Into A Police State
Cardinal Olubunmi Okogie on Sunday said President Mohammadu Buhari’s
Government is turning into a one man show.
Okogie who was speaking for the first time about the state of affairs in
the All Progressive Congress, APC, led Government said the country is
gradually sliding into a police state with the Economic and Financial
Crimes Commission, EFCC, the Department of State Security, DSS, being used
to intimidate and harass Nigerians.
Okogie stated this in a statement he released on Sunday.
The statement reads:
“A lot of Nigerians are beginning to feel that Buhari is fast transforming
this nation into a police state where the president, the Economic and
Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Department of State Security
(DSS) rule the day, according to a statement obtained by Per Second News.
“What they say is given lurid headlines in the media, and it seems to all
that some of the defendants cum accused persons are being tried in the
press with information conveniently slipping into the hands of the press,
presumably from the security agencies, even before such people have been
charged to court.”
“Unfortunately, democracy is difficult and this government must realise
that democracy pervasively coloured with impunity, arbitrariness and
highhandedness, cannot be used to fight and correct the financial
impunity and reckless abandon of the previous administration, even if it
is more difficult to do so; the rule of law must be obeyed and be the
order of the day.“If Buhari wants to leave a creditable legacy come 2019, he should retool
the bureaucracy. For instance, the roof of the Central Bank is leaking
water.
“Governors, who arm-twisted Okonjo-Iweala into signing out our reserves
held by Central Bank, are today ministers in the All Progressives
Congress (APC) government.
“We are still talking about change and corruption when old things refuse
to pass away! These political gimmicks can only carry away gullible or
naive Nigerians. President Buhari should beam his flashlight on policies
and programmes that will lift up the masses.
“A snail-paced and disordered methodology in governance, his apparent
disdain for judicial authorities and decisions, a lost today and found
tomorrow 2016 Budget debacle, and a rather rudderless and confused
Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) with an unclear monetary policy strategy
(inevitably increasing the economic uncertainties being faced by
Nigerians), have set alarm bells ringing in my mind and in the minds of
many discerning Nigerians.
“Our Change must change something. How could we continue to talk of change
in a static system? How could we be talking of change when the same crew
are governors, ministers, senators, and members of the House of
Representatives? This is a cyclical devolution of power to the same people
who are never out of power!
“What sort of change is the President talking about? When will the youth
take over when even a governor does not take a bow and go? When shall we
plan for the replacement of delinquent leadership? This is what
constitutes change. Change is not changing from Jonathan to Buhari.”
Continuing, he said: “Change is behavioural and pervades all levels of
society including the family, the church, the mosque, schools, market
women and business men. When we talk of change, we talk of
positive-salutary, healthy growth and development oriented change that
cuts across the entire gamut of the society.
“What sort of change is this that ignores the glaring unequal
distribution of national income? It is absurd that the same government
that is unable to pay N18,000 per month to the lowest grade of labour can
afford to pay N1.8 million per month to anyone in the economy. Why must
tax payers’ money be used to feed Mr. President and his family?
“Why must the tax payers’ money be used to buy brand new exotic vehicles
for the legislature, judges, ministers and governors when they are heavily
paid?
“Indeed, his perceived discordant relationship with the leadership of
the Legislature has many naysayers chuckling and remarking that
President Buhari’s government is heading into his comfort zone, a one
man show.”
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