Elder statesman and spokesman for the Akwa Ibom Elders Vanguard, Senator Anietie Okon, who served between 1999 and 2003 has urged Nigerians to collectively work towards saving the country from disintegration before talking about the election year.
He expressed disappointment that some politicians have started talking about the 2023 elections when the country is heading towards a dangerous precipice.
Okon, a pioneer National Publicity Secretary of the People’s Democratic Party, said these while speaking with newsmen in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State capital on Wednesday
He identified misgovernance and ineptitude of the present APC-led administration as reasons for the worsened economy and security situation faced in the country.
According to him since President Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd), came into power in 2015, it has been one recession after another.
“Since this man (Buhari) came into office it has been one season of recession after another as a result of misgovernance, ineptitude, and the lack of basic understanding of the national economics. The economy of the country has come to a halt.
“There has not been any economic growth indicator for Nigeria since this administration came into office. That is why we are experiencing a very high rate of unemployment, and increased government borrowing. The president does not have the capacity and competence to lead Nigeria.
“It is a disgrace and an awful one for that matter that a country so gifted by God in terms of human capacity and natural resources is still floundering when we should be in the same class with countries like Korea, Japan. It is painful.
“Very soon many Nigerians will be suffering from hypertension because the current government has no answer to the security challenges bedeviling the country. We are not safe any longer. This country must be saved. We must collectively work together to secure this country before politicians start talking about 2023,” the senator said.
He said that Buhari should have been impeached long ago due to lack of competence and other anti-leadership qualities he has displayed so far but regretted however that the current Senate does not have the stomach for that.
Okon frowned at the repeated calls on the President to address the country on what his administration is doing with regards to the myriads of challenges facing the country especially insecurity when they know that he doesn’t have the ability and the capacity to lead the country.
On what could be done to salvage Nigeria, Okon simply responded, “I have said this repeatedly that it is either a breakup or dismemberment. (Punch)
