The National Chairman of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Dr Olu Agunloye has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to be a leader to all Nigerians, irrespective of ethnicity, religion or class.
This was contained in a statement signed by the party’s National Press Secretary, Ambassador Rufus Aiyenigba on behalf of the party’s National Chairman and made available to newsmen in Akure.
Agunloye also called on Buhari to address his main constitutional duty which is to provide security for Nigeria and ensure the well-being of all citizens.
The statement reads ‘at this moment, ethnic groups and religious groups could not find a common ground as they did on the election of M. K. O. Abiola in 1993.
“Unfortunately, the spirit of coherence, unity and progress which existed about 28 years ago seems to have disappeared in Nigeria.
“The country is currently wobbling through a tempestuous time wherein bandits, herdsmen, Boko Haram and other criminals brazenly confront the President of the Federal Republic and Commander-in-Chief at will.
“They lay deadly blockades across the nation, turn the country’s landscape to killing fields, kidnap pupils from schools and lay claims to have shot down Nigerian Air Force jet fighter plane.
“We are at a period when rates of unemployment, inflation and poverty are dangerously high while food security and social security are at the lowest.
“The situation is so bad that President Muhammadu Buhari had to fly to the UK for medical check-up as a testimony to the appalling state of the health sector in the country.
“The grave impending danger is the possible ultimate convergence of widespread internal insecurity crisis, global and local impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic and further degeneration of the economy which may cause irreparable or irreversible damages to the Nigerian Nation.
“At this point, it is critical for Nigerians to revisit the ideas and ideology of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) for which M.K.O Abiola was associated and imbibe the essence of sacrifice for a rebirth to promote integration, unity, justice, and equity to heal our national fractures and pull Nigeria back from the brink.”
Dr Agunloye also reiterated the determination of his Party to provide a creditable alternative political vehicle to guarantee value for the votes and sweats of the common people in Nigeria.
He opined that the time has come to restructure the governance and constitutional systems, the fiscal system and the federal system, to reassure the people of Nigeria and to restore hope so that separationist or secessionist agitations can die down and the nation can commence the urgent process of rebuilding to evolve a new, safer, freer and prosperous Nigeria.
Dr Agunloye said that “the Social Democratic Party, SDP, as a national party with pro-people ideology, will continue to be in the vanguard of the promotion of a strong, democratic and egalitarian Nigerian society at all times.”
