***No, you have performed below average- Middle Belt Forum
President Muhammadu Buhari has said that in spite of the fact that Nigeria’s size and population are contributory factors in many challenges facing the country, his administration has done its best for the country in the last seven and a half years.
Buhari also stated that youths are Nigeria’s hope for a better future, saying that his government’s priority is to solve their problems.
The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, quoted Buhari as saying this while welcoming the Secretary General of the Abu Dhabi Forum, Sheikh Al-Mahfoudh Bin Bayyah, and his deputy, Pastor Bob Roberts of the United States, who visited him in Washington, USA.
Buhari noted that the work of the foundation in promoting multi-faith dialogue was as important to the world as it was to Nigeria.
The president also spoke about the need to raise generations of youths devoid of religious extremism and bigotry, urging the group to continue to target the young people who are the promise of the future.
He said: “Your work is very important in helping, especially the youth to understand one another and at the same time, to be proud of their heritage.
”This great initiative by you will help future generations to plan well and live together in peace.
”On our part, we will continue to solve our problems, especially as they relate to the youths.
”We are big in size and population, facing many challenges, but in many areas, we are trying. In seven-and-a-half years, I have done my best,”
The secretary-general said they had come to inform the president and to invite him to attend the conferment upon him, the Abu Dhabi Foundation’s award in recognition of his outstanding achievements in promoting peace and security.
He said the conferment was in line with the foundation’s work in fighting religious extremism, promoting peaceful coexistence and dialogue amongst all religions.
Meanwhile, the Middle Belt Forum (MBF) has faulted the claim of Buhari that he has done his best for Nigerians in the last seven and half years, insisting that his administration has failed completely and left Nigerians worse off.
The National President of MBF, Dr. Bitrus Pogu, stated this while reacting to Buhari’s stance that he has done his best for Nigerians, insisting that Buhari has performed below average.
Pogu stated this in a statement made available to TheIdeal News on Wednesday.
According to Pogu, what Buhari said was a self assessment, saying that nobody will say anything negative about himself.
The statement reads in part, “But we are Nigerians and we know that his performance has been below average.
“Whether you talk of the economy, you talk of the security which was the main issue in his campaign when he came into power, and other indices you will know that he has failed and left Nigerians worse off.
“When you talk of the economy, recall that when he came in 2015 the Dollar was exchanging for about N197 but today in the open market it is exchanging for almost N800.
Prices of goods and services have gone beyond the imagination of anybody.
There is so much poverty and you can see poverty on the faces of majority of Nigerians.
Insecurity has grown from the Boko Haram in the North East to nationwide killings, kidnappings for ransom and all of that.
“If you talk of infrastructural develpment, there is nothing to celebrate about. You cannot say yes this is an achievement that he can talk about.
“So I think he just wanted to launder his image but I believe the Embassies of foreign countries are here in Nigeria and they know the truth about what Nigerians have been going through in seven and half years. And we Nigerians also know the truth.
“And even look at the area of crude oil which is the main source of our revenue. We cannot even meet our OPEC quota.
It has never happened. Even when the insurgency in the Niger Delta was on before the then President Yar’dua brought the amnesty programme, it was never this bad that we could not meet our quota from OPEC. Most of our crude is being stolen than being sold officially.
“So looking at these indices, what the President has said is far from what obtains in this country.
It is better for Mr. President to accept that he has failed in so many areas but that he would do his best to right some of the wrongs before he leaves office. I think that would have been a better thing to say than to say that he has done his best.”
