President Buhari’s Address largely Rhetoric Placid and Disappointing – PANDEF

Pan Niger Delta Forum, PANDEF has reacted to the National Presidential Broadcast by President Buhari to address the #EndSARS Protests.

Their reaction was contained in a statement sent to NAIJA LIVE TV the National Publicity Secretary, PANDEF Comrade Ken Robinson.

NAIJA LIVE TV Quoted the Statement thusly ;

“The Pan Niger Delta Forum, PANDEF, considers President Muhammadu Buhari’s address to the Nation on the #EndSARS protests as largely rhetoric, placid and disappointing. While Mr. President finally heeded calls to address the nation on the on-goings in the country, we do not think his address resonated with the youths who were in the Streets of Nigeria for #EndSARS #EndPolicBrutality Protests. It was not the time to herald attainments of the mostly lopsided Social Intervention Programmes of his administration”

“Nigerians had expected a frank, confidence building, trust boosting and empathetic address. The massacre of peaceful protesters at the Lekki Toll gate in Lagos on the evening of Tuesday, 20th October 2020, where persons in army uniform shot sporadically at the peaceful protesters, leading to many young Nigerians been injured and unspecified deads, was the high point of the #EndSARS protests. It was therefore grossly disappointing that Mr. President said nothing about that awful incident in his address”

“While it is apparent that the peaceful #EndSARS protests may have been hijacked by unscrupulous persons, the fact remains that what happened at Lekki toll gate last Tuesday evening, is most despicable, and would remain an awful smudge on the Nation’s democratic journey”

“Today, the world has become a global village, with technology, the world is connected. What was happening at Lekki Toll gate was at that instant seen by the global community. Nigeria is an important member of the global community for many reasons. With a population of over 200 million, any untold crisis in the country would affect the whole world, and therefore, the untactful warning of our neighbours and the International Community was also completely unnecessary”

“PANDEF had a few days ago called on the African Union and the International Community to intervene in the situation in Nigeria before things get out of hand. We would wish to reiterate that call”

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