By Ishaya Ibrahim, News Editor
President Muhammadu Buhari’s Independence Day speech has been criticised for not addressing the cracks that have been plaguing the country.
A former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode, said that the anniversary celebration was coming at a time the unity of the country had been severely weakened.
“Today, we celebrate 60 years of independence from our former colonial masters. I wish my compatriots happy independence day but I am constrained to ask the following: Can our “unity” be sustained? The cracks are widening and anger is rising.
Nigeria may not be one for much longer,” he said in a tweet.
For former chairman of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Professor Chidi Odinkalu, the president’s speech was hypocritical on the aspect of the rule of law.
“The President under whose watch the Supreme Court donated a Governor to Imo State wakes up this morning to indulge in #IronyOnSteroids & lecture #Nigeria on the virtues of rule of law & electoral justice.. Impressive!,” he said.
A human rights campaigner, Stephen Kefason, says the President’s comparison of Nigeria with Saudi Arabia on oil price was logically flawed.
He tweeted: “Dear Buhari,
you said in your speech this morning that It makes no sense for oil to be cheaper in Nigeria than in Saudi Arabia. But you forgot to mention that the minimum wage in Saudi is R3,000, which is about N305,126. Pay us N305,126 minimum wage and we’ll pay N1,000 for a litre of pms. #NotYetIndependent.”
