Omoyele Sowore, Owner of Sahara Reporters and Presidential hopeful has in a statement, come against Buhari’s refusal to sign the African Free Trade agreement.
According to Sowore, this move was a grave oversight by Buhari’s administration and one that will adversely affect Nigeria.
He is not the only one, with Obasanjo also stating that Buhari’s refusal to sign was a foolhardy move that will not benefit Nigeria in the long run.
Read Sowore’s statement below.
When African nations gathered to sign the African Continental Free Trade agreement on March 21st, 2018, Nigeria was conspicuously absent.
Nigeria is Africa’s most populous nation and its largest economy and should have taken a key role in shaping the negotiations and the eventual agreement so that it would be beneficial to Nigeria’s economic and security interests.
Instead of providing leadership, the Muhammadu Buhari government has exported its shambolic approach to governance at home to the continental stage. Just days after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) approved Nigeria’s participation in the agreement, the Buhari government announced it would no longer be participating because “some key stakeholders were not consulted.”
It is unconscionable that it is at this late stage in the process that the Buhari government is realizing that it ought to have engaged with Stakeholders.
Our movement believes that the economy of a nation as large as Nigeria, and decisions that impact the lives of almost 200 million people should not be taken lightly or on the whims of one man.
The #TakeBackNigeria movement makes a firm commitment to Nigerians that we will move quickly to ensure continuing Nigerian leadership on the global stage and will join a continental free trade agreement that affirms the following principles.
1. Promotes the economic well being of Nigeria’s people
2. Prevents the dumping of goods into Nigeria
3. Ensures a rapid and sustainable growth of the Nigerian economy
4. Assures reciprocity in access to markets
5. Does not compromise national security
6. Is intended to strictly benefit Africans only, and not foreign powers from the East or West.
Nigerians, from all walks of life and from across all economic segments will be carried along in our deliberations on this topic from day one.
Their voices will not be considered at the last minute, as has become the practice of the Buhari government.
Nigeria MUST progress!!