Nigerians are tired of economic hardship, CSOs tell Buhari, APC

*Mobilise support for Atiku, PDP

By Olugbenga Salami

Ahead of the 2019 general elections, a coalition of civil society groups and non-governmental organisations, has said that Nigerians are tired of failed promises by President Muhammadu Buhari and his party, the All Progressives Congress, APC, which they noted have caused serious economic hardship for majority of the populace.

The groups, while taking a swipe at the Buhari-led administration over the weekend, declared that the inability of the APC-led federal government to live up to promises made before the 2015 general elections, is largely responsible for the present economic hardship bedevilling the nation.

In a statement jointly signed by its National Coordinator, Ambassador Niki Omoyele, Director, National Mobilization, Gomez Iwobi, and Director, Special Duties, Jummai Gowon, stated that Nigerians have known the ruling APC for making failed and empty promises which are never kept.

The groups under the platform of the Atiku-Obi Presidential Movement, have therefore decided to mobilise grassroots support for the Presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar “because same presents Nigerians with leadership that seeks to redeem the country from its present economic woes”.

The statement reads in part: “Members of the Atiku-Obi Presidential Movement, Nigeria, announce our full support for the Atiku/Obi Presidential ticket of the People’s Democratic Party of Nigeria because we believe that it is the redemptive leadership that millions of Nigerians have since anticipated in hope, patience and prayers.

“The time has come to change the change and return power to the people of Nigeria. We represent the collective voices of Nigerians in over 890 NGOs and civil society groups, and have been working relentlessly through issue-based discourses.

“We declare that Nigerians are tired of failed promises, excruciating economic hardship and lack of a definite people-oriented leadership of vision and progressive policies.

“From the insecure corners of North-Eastern Nigeria, across the North Western cities like Kano, throughout the middle belt plains, down to the creeks of the South-South, in the bustling cities of Lagos, Port Harcourt, Enugu, Awka, Aba, Ilorin, Abeokuta, Daura and Maiduguri, amongst others, indeed everywhere within Nigeria, millions of our patriots are weary, and desirous of redemption”.