The comment credited to President Muhammadu Buhari that there is a limit to what he can do at the age of 72, has been described as “embarrassing to the country”.
This was the position of the Labour Party, which noted that the statement particularly disheartening because the President made the declaration on foreign soil.
The party challenged, therefore, challenged the governing All Progressives Congress to come clean with the true position on the President’s state of health.
The National Chairman of LP, Alhaji Abdukadir Abdulsalam, spoke with journalists in Abuja on Wednesday.
He said, “This is an expression of failure on his part because when he was campaigning, he gave us the impression that he was hale, healthy and not fragile, and had the capacity, ability and agility to carry out the functions of state as the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“This is disappointing to us and Nigerians that before we started and get the whistle blown, Buhari has started to throw in the towel. I think both President Buhari and the APC should tell us the true situation. Is the age of Buhari or both the age and health that have become the problem?
“Two months ago, he was telling us he had the capacity to do it, now he is telling us he wish he was younger and that his age will impact on his performance and would not be able to do this job to the satisfaction of Nigerians. This also means Nigerians have been deceived with the concept of change; the statement means we should not be expecting the change they promised as change goes with dynamism, ability to perform, with political willingness and commitment. But if he is complaining now less than a month, where do we go from here?”
When asked if it was not enough that Buhari’s appointees would also play key roles in bringing about the change promised by the APC, the LP chairman pointed out that former President Goodluck Jonathan took responsibility, adding that “no one blames his ministers and other appointees, since the buck stops and ends on his table as the leader”.
“President Barack Obama takes charge and responsibility for whatever happens to America; the same thing for David Cameron in Britain. All presidents take responsibility for whatever happens. President Buhari and the APC should tell us now before it is too late on what is happening to our President, Baba Buhari”, Abdulsalam stressed.