Iyorchia Ayu says Buhari’s clueless regime has mortgaged the future of Nigeria with indebtedness
By Emma Ogbuehi
The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr. Iyorchia Ayu, on Saturday described the President Muhammadu Buhari administration as clueless.
Ayu, who said Buhari was only piling humongous eternal debts for the present and future generations, described the administration as wicked.
Justifying the characterization, Ayu said only a wicked regime would subject generations unborn to the servitude of slavery.
The former Senate President Chairman blamed Buhari for Nigeria’s very low international reputation as an insecure country and the poverty capital of the world.
The National Chairman said the low rating was a reversal of fortunes and a direct opposite of the achievements of former President Olusegun Obasanjo on the platform of the PDP.
Dr. Iyorchia Ayu made these declarations when he led some members of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) to Obasanjo at his library in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital.
A statement from Dr. Ayu’s Media Office, which was made available to TheNiche, quoted the National Chairman as insisting that virtually all the good works of former President Obasanjo has been undone by Buhari.
Iyorchia Ayu declared: “Sir, we thank you for the service you rendered and the great work you have done in the PDP. As the first president in this Republic, your period as president on the platform of PDP is seen as the golden era of the PDP and Nigeria, because not only did you lay the foundation to grow the economy to become the biggest economy in Africa, you were able to remove Nigeria from slavery by negotiating and cancelling so much of our foreign debts that would have made it very difficult to run the country.
“By the time you left office, Nigeria was totally set free, direct foreign investment was on the increase on a daily basis and we were respected in the international community and every where we went.”
“Today, this clueless APC and President Muhammad Buhari have undone all that and have plunged Nigeria into eternal debt. The new debt overhang created by this wicked government is going to create massive problems for the coming generations.
“I remember when I accompanied you as your minister to a number of countries – Germany and India – I saw the respect they accorded you and I was very proud to be a Nigerian,” Iyorchia Ayu further said.
“Today, unfortunately, we don’t have the same recognition because what we have become has fallen short of good leadership that Nigeria deserves.
“This is on account of worsening insecurity and Buhari’s creation of a Nigeria regarded as poverty capital of the world.
“Apart from Infrastructural intervention which you did, most of the very useful institutions like EFCC, the ICPC and so on are now being used to hound people.”
“I remember when you took some of us to Germany to the offices of the Transparency International and we had a very useful discussion there,” Iyorchia Ayu said with nostalgia.
“So, you are very passionate about this country and you did a lot and we thought we should come and thank you for what you have done not just for Nigerians but to our party and Africa .
“In the years that you were in power, you saw every Nigerian as one family, you didn’t discriminate against the South, the East, the West or the North. Even though in your first tenure, the South West didn’t actually support you, but, you brought them back on board and they supported you in your second tenure and that was an achievement.
“Today, Buhari’s nepotism has divided Nigerians just as his other actions have further created wedges between fellow countrymen and women.
“It is our prayer that you will continue to try and support us.
“In Africa today, in all modesty, after the departure of late President Mandela, there is only one person of such stature on the African continent and we are proud that that person is a Nigerian and that Nigerian is no other than former President Olusegun Obasanjo and you have continued to display good leadership. I remember years ago you told me that you will do everything to make Nigeria one.
“Today you are on the African stage again and your work in Ethiopia today is worth commendation.”
Iyorchia Ayu pleaded with the former president not to abandon the PDP even though he had retired from politics.
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“Even though you said you have retired from partisan politics, partisan politics will never retire from your blood, because you want the right thing done and since you want the right thing done, for life you will remain the emeritus member of the PDP.
“We will continue to come to you, so, I want to plead with you, please, don’t be tired of us as we come knocking asking for advice.
“We want to assure you that the new leadership of the PDP with the rest of PDP family will do everything possible – ward to ward, local government by local government across the country to restore the lost glory of Nigeria of which your era was a shinning example because anytime we talked about the history of the PDP there is no way we talk about the PDP without mentioning between 1999 and 2007.”
Earlier, Obasanjo had told the gathering that he would be available to offer advice to people who seek it but he remained committed to his stance that partisan politics was no longer for him.
He prayed for and wished Dr. Iyorchia Ayu and the new leadership of PDP well.
Those on the visit included former governor of Anambra State, Mr. Peter Obi; former governor of Ondo State, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko; National Secretary of PDP, Senator Sam Anyanwu; Deputy National Chairman, South, Amb. Taofeek Arapaja; and former governor of Cross River State, Liyel Imoke.
Former governor of Jigawa State, Sule Lamido, former Police Affairs Minister, Adamu Waziri; National Woman Leader of PDP, Prof. Stella Effah-Attoe; Deputy National Chairman (North), Amb. Umar Iliya Damagu; former Minister, Special Duties, Tanimu Kabiru Turaki, SAN; and former governor of Cross River State, Donald Duke; National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, were also in attendance.