President Muhammadu Buhari has said there's hope for Nigeria's democracy following the defection of Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi State from the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
He said Umahi’s defection is a vote of confidence that the All Progressives Congress (APC), is performing well despite constant barrage of attacks by critics and the media to discredit the Buhari administration.
The President, in a statement made available to newsmen yesterday by his spokesman, Malam Garba Shehu, commended the Ebonyi governor for his decision, describing it “as a bold move driven purely by principle rather than opportunistic motives.”
He said: “I am proud of Governor Umahi for taking this bold decision in accordance with his conscience and principles rather than any external influence or coercion.
“Good governance is very important to us in the APC, and I’m glad that the governor has cited this as a major factor in his decision to join us. I urge our citizens to pay less emphasis on identity politics if we want our democracy to make a positive impact on our country.
“With men like Umahi, I foresee a brighter future for our democracy because the voters will be more motivated by performance records of parties and their candidates.
“Let me once again commend the boldness of Governor Umahi for taking this courageous decision in a country where principles are in short supply among many. I know people might call him names, but that is the price men of principles have to pay for acting according to their conscience and convictions.”
While the Buhari administration boast about its achievement since unseating Jonathan in 2015, former President Olusegun Obasanjo, however, sees otherwise, saying the current direction the country is going might not see light at the end of the tunnel, since the current government is only making a bad situation much worse.
Obasanjo said while the President Muhammadu Buhari’s government has been claiming achievements here and there, Nigerians on the other hand, are busy asking questions which the president seem to not understand.
Speaking in an interview with Premium Times, the former president said the progress the country is said to be making under Buhari is questionable.
“I think we have no choice but to be on the path for sustainable development,” Obasanjo said.
“The progress we are making may be questionable. Is it fast enough? Is it steady enough? Is it stable enough? Are we taking two steps forward and one step back or one step side-way?
“You can question that, but we have no choice but to be on (the) path for sustainable development. Any other thing will be a disaster. In fact, the pace at which we are going now is tending more and more toward disaster and instability and unsustainability.”