Nothing to celebrate under Buhari in two years – Oguntuase

As the country celebrated its democracy day on Monday, the factional Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) in Ekiti State, Barrister Gboyega Oguntuase , has said the country has nothing to celebrate under President Muhammadu Buhari two years after he mounted the saddle.

Oguntuase lamented that the APC-led Federal government has mismanaged the opportunities given it by Nigerians in 2015, saying the economy has depleted while the politics has been bastardised under the current leadership.

Oguntuase, who spoke in Ado Ekiti, on Monday, praised Nigerian citizens for standing by democracy in the last 18 years in spite of the leadership foibles that have brought disillusionment to the populace.

The PDP leader hinted that the culture of free, fair and credible poll bequeathed by the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan has allegedly been debased under Buhari, describing the APC-led federal government “as a curse rather than a blessing to Nigerians”.

He alleged that the anti-graft war , which the APC has scored itself high was selective and skewed against the members of the opposition, particularly the PDP.
Oguntuase stated that the prices of food items have skyrocketed underBuhari to the extent that hardly could middle class Nigerians be able to afford a square meal daily.

“As much as a share the ideology that there is no alternative to democracy, I am also disturbed with the kind of democracy we are witnessing under President Buhari. Nigerians rights were being abridged every day. Rights for salaries to be paid as and when due, rights to personal liberty, rights to self-respect, rights to life and association have been abridged under this government.

“Even the right to free, fair poll is not guaranteed under him unlike when President Jonathan was in the saddle. He was even defeated as an incumbent President but whether the election was free and fair was another issue, because we must be happy for the fact that we still had the chance to participate in electing our own leaders.

“In 1984, the likes of Abubakar Rimi, Chief Adekunle Ajasin, Prof Ambrose Alli , Chief Bola Ige and many others who participated in the 1979 to 1983 second republic were jailed without trial by military Junta. But today, we have a government our people can correct or query. Though, the totality of our freedom might not be guaranteed but we are free to an extent.

“If we look at it critically, Nigerians have cause to rejoice that they are in a democracy because if one should consider the scenarios playing out in some African countries under dictatorship, one would come to conclusion that military has polluted the system and was never a good alternative ”.

Oguntuase appealed to President Buhari to heed to the cries of Nigerians and redirect the economy for the citizens to feel the impacts of democracy .

The PDP chieftain said: “The fact that President Buhari defeated an incumbent president was suffice to allow election under him to be free and fair. So, for Nigerians to know that they are under democracy, President Buhari must respect the rights of every Nigerian”.