Closure of schools: Don’t shut down Nigeria because of banditry, SDP tackles Buhari

The Social Democratic Party (SDP) has berated President Muhammadu Buhari over the rising insecurity, saying that Mr. President cannot shutdown the country because of bandits and other forms of insecurity.

The Presidential candidate of the SDP, Prince Adewole Adebayo, said this after he led an entourage on a meeting with officials of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) on Tuesday in Abuja.

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He lamented the closure of some schools in the nation’s capital to prevent attacks, wondering if that was the right approach.

“Before the schools were shut down, the first thing that was shut down was the presidency. The presidency has been shut down for the past seven years. The government has shut itself down. If we are not careful, the government will be the bandits and the bandits will be arresting the government,” he said.

He said until there is honest and purposeful leadership, the country might continue to grapple with almost the challenges it is presently facing.

“All the problems, the latest of which is banditry and our debt servicing being bigger than our income, are all arising from the deficit of our dishonesty that we are not honest people. We have banditry, revenue is in short fall, what we are generating can’t service our debts. We need a right leader with the right heart.

“There is nothing mystical about governance. The shutdown of the FCT schools shows that the presidency has been shut down. If there is no school you can open a school. You can open other businesses but only the government can protect the people. If they want to attack hospitals, banks and other places, will you close it too? Why not do the job or you resign? You cannot shut down the country because of banditry,” Adebayo said.

Speaking on the mission to the CAN office, he said that the country is under God, all the people, whatever their faith, they are under God and when the righteous rule, the people rejoice.

He said, “When I get to the Villa, it will be a government that will allow Nigerians to serve God. We will protect Nigerians. You also know, in our heart, we desire power for many reasons. We must ensure we put the right leaders in authority.

“We should not sell our votes. We should not vote for people playing religious cards. God wants this country to prosper but what we lack is love, care and truthfulness. If we obey the law of God and the constitution, the people will rejoice.”

On his part, the CAN president, Dr. Samson Ayokunle, said they met with Adebayo and the incoming CAN president.

He said, “We want many people to contest elections so that Nigerians will choose the best. We believed that the lord would do it.”