The presidency’s announcement that 10 APC governors accompanied President Muhammadu Buhari to his hometown, Daura, Katsina State on Saturday to revalidate his membership of their party has angered the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Pan-Yoruba group, Afenifere.
In a statement, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, had disclosed that Senate President Ahmad Lawan was also on the entourage.
“The President’s registration exercise in Daura was attended by the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, former Senate President, Ken Nnamani, ten governors, including the Governor of Yobe State, Mai Mala Buni, who is the Chairman of the APC Caretaker Committee, and other party stalwarts,” Shehu disclosed.
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According to Sunday Punch, other governors that accompanied the president apart from Buni were Gboyega Oyetola (Osun); Abdullahi Ganduje (Kano); Atiku Bagudu (Kebbi); Muhammad Badaru (Jigawa); Inuwa Yahaya (Gombe); Hope Uzodinma (Imo); Adulrahman Abdulrasaq, (Kwara); Simon Lalong (Plateau); and the host governor, Aminu Masari.
Reacting, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) said it was the height of irresponsibility for 10 governors to abandon their states to accompany the president to his hometown.
“It is the height of irresponsibility. It beats the imagination that governors would abandon governance at a time of great insecurity and economic turmoil to embark on a jamboree.
“If they devote the kind of energy, they are devoting to chasing shadows in providing actual governance in their states, we will not be having the cases of banditry, kidnapping, armed robbery and other criminal activities which have become the norm rather than the exception today.
“Why would almost 10 governors abandon their states just to witness the president signing a register? When was the last time any of these governors inaugurated a project beneficial to their people?
“In case they are unaware, both the APC and the Buhari brand have been demystified by the woeful performance of this regime,” PDP’s National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan said.
In a similar vein, Afenifere’s National Publicity Secretary, Yinka Odumakin described it as “display of idleness”.
He noted that they would not be available for such “frivolity” if they were “gainfully engaged”.