The Executive Director of Adopt A Goal Initiative, Ariyo-Dare Atoye, on Sunday, urged Federal Government to jettison the plan to exclude deserving citizens from the Independent National Awards as reported in the media.
Comrade Atoye, a renowned Activist who gave the charge in a statement issued in Abuja, argued that the exclusion of the immediate past President of the Senate, Senator Bukola Saraki, from the Independence Day National Awards will ridicule the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari as “petty, low and vindictive.”
He, therefore, urged President Muhammadu Buhari to rethink and demonstrate that he is the father of the nation with the responsibility to treat everyone fairly.
The investiture ceremony is billed to hold as part of a series of activities lined up to mark Nigeria’s 62nd Independence Anniversary.
“As a father, grandfather and leader to all in the country, the President must rise above narrow-minded political construct by enlisting the name of the immediate past President of the Senate as a deserving awardee.
“On what basis will the President defend this avoidable exclusion of Senator Saraki from the Awards after leaving office when history will ask critical questions?
“Those who are misleading the President to take this low path and exclude deserving Nigerians from the national honours on the basis of politics and envy do not really mean well for Buhari.
“As his last Independent Day anniversary outing as President, it will be unthinkable and very sad for the President to kowtow to the ill-advised action of excluding Saraki and others because of petty politics.
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“I urge the President not to do anything that will take the shine off the national awards and portray him as a petty and vindictive leader.
“President Buhari should use the opportunity of his last Independent Day anniversary to heal and unite the people and the country by reaching out to everyone irrespective of political leanings and interests.
“Saraki has earned his place in Nigeria as the best President of the Senate since Independence and there is nothing anyone can do to diminish what he laboured to achieve for the good of the country.
“Nigerians are in agreement with Senator Saraki over the legislative actions that he took to defend our economy, rule of law and democratic tenets which a section of the Buhari administration interpreted as antagonistic of the President.
“This is the time for the President to unite and embrace everyone,” said Atoye.
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National awards: Exclusion of Saraki, other deserving Nigerians will ridicule Buhari ― Atoye
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