Second Republic lawmaker, Dr. Junaid Mohammed, yesterday lashed out at the Presidency saying they should stop lying to Nigerians over the health status of President Muhammadu Buhari.
He also said Nigerians cannot afford to have another constitutional crises due to Mr. President's health.
The Presidential spokesperson, Garba Shehu had attacked Mohammed on Sunday saying he is suffering from pathological cynicism.
According to Shehu, “Mohammed’s kind of critics is toxic to national progress because they are only primarily interested in destroying every positive effort and achievements of the government and we advise Nigerians to be wary of prejudiced and biased critics like Dr. Junaid
Mohammed who are more interested in personal publicity than respecting facts and figures about their claims”.
But reacting to Shehu's statement, Mohammed said the Presidential spokesperson should stop telling Nigerians lies about the president's health.
His words, “I believe Shehu is under pressure which is why he attacked me. However, I believe strongly they need to stop lying to Nigerians about Mr President's health. Can they actually tell Nigerians what this medical leave or routine check-up is? They don’t seems to be telling us the truth."
Mohammed who said he had been President Buhari’s friend since when he was a secnd lieutenant in the Army said he cannot shy away from telling the President the truth anytime he misfires.
He said, “If I am to comment on issues that concern Nigerians, I won’t shy away from telling President Buhari the home truth anywhere he is making mistakes. I criticized General Abacha as Head of State and told him some truths in private and sometimes face to face. I believe if people can challenge their friends in power, it shows they are not intimidated by the powerful”.
“If Aisha Buhari could say what she said about her husband, I think the President needs to check himself and retrace his steps on some issues that concern the country. I think the question the President needs to ask himself is that after one he has taken over the reigns of power, what has changed? Is Nigeria better off than when he took over on May 29, 2015? The truth is that Nigeria is worse off today than when Buhari took over the reigns of power.
“Every Nigerian today is worse off and nothing seems to be working under this government. Some who are rich in 2015 cannot say same today due to the economic woes that Nigeria is presently experiencing and we cannot continue to close our eyes to it”.
He further explained, “This administration has failed in tamming the economic woes that seem to have turned everyone poor in present day Nigeria. Even though the administration made some giant strides in the fight against Boko Haram, the country is still not safe as people still live in fears even in Kano today.
"And there is also political crises in the party where President won his own election. So the President seems to be at war with everyone including the National Assembly members”.
He maintained, “I believe President Buhari should engage in turning around the fortunes of Nigeria economically, politically and security wise.
"By now, his administration should have stopped blaming the Jonathan government for their woes. I believe that in politics, you take assets and liabilities."
Vanguard