Reps minority caucus to Buhari: Nigeria becoming a failed state… tackle insecurity now

The minority caucus of the house of representatives has asked President Muhammadu Buhari to “buckle up” in addressing the challenges confronting the country.

In a statement issued on Friday to mark the sixth anniversary of the present administration, Ndudi Elumelu, minority leader of the lower chamber, tackled the All Progressives Congress (APC) over “economic crisis and avoidable acrimony”.

“The caucus holds that with its failure to check worsening insecurity and mass killing of citizens; its intrinsic corruption, mismanagement of our national economy, as well as the unrelenting assault on our national diversity, the APC administration at the center has failed on all fronts in the last six years,” the statement reads.

“As lawmakers, our caucus is worried that exclusionist tendencies, trade restrictions, nepotism in government appointments, disregard to rule of law, relegation of constitutional order and principles of separation of powers, abuse of human rights, electoral malpractices, harassment of opposition and arrogant insensitivity to the sensibilities of the Nigerian people by the APC administration have occasioned instability, economic crisis and avoidable acrimony that are threatening our corporate existence as a country.”

The lawmakers, who noted that poor policies have stifled the economy, devalued the naira and crippled farming activities, called for urgent measures to improve the welfare of citizens.

“Failure of the government to address escalated insecurity challenges has crippled the agricultural sector and disorganised commercial activities, leading to imminent food crisis with cost of food and other necessities of life skyrocketing beyond the reach of Nigerians,” the lawmakers said.

“As representatives of the people, the minority caucus is worried that our nation is heading towards a failed state.

“We, therefore, urge President Muhammadu Buhari to buckle up and use the occasion of May 29 to address the failures of his administration by taking urgent steps to tackle insecurity, ensure respect for rule of law, end corruption in his government, adopt a more inclusive approach to governance, and engage better hands to manage our economy.”