The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has condemned in strong terms, President Muhammadu Buhari’s absence at the burial of former President of Nigeria, Shehu Shagari, last Saturday.
The party says President Buhari’s absence at the funeral, particularly regarding Shagari’s status as the first Executive President of our country, is unpardonable and a very wrong precedence in our national protocol.
A statement on Monday by Kola Ologbondiyan, Director, Media & Publicity, PDP Presidential Campaign Organization, said by his action, Buhari, has also sent a wrong signal to the international community on our national values and respect for our patriots.
“The PDP notes that Vice President Yemi Osinbajo was also absent at President Shehu Shagari’s burial and that the Federal Government has taken no concrete step to give a state honour to this very patriotic Nigerian, other than a rather belated directive to fly our national flag at half mast for just three days and a dramatic visit to Sokoto by President Buhari.
“Sadly, while our beloved President Shagari was at the National Hospital Abuja, passing through his last moments on this realm, President Buhari was busy at his campaign rally in Uyo, Akwa-Ibom State, boasting of how he, as military head of state, sacked the Second Republic, arrested and locked up President Shehu Shagari and his officials, in clear violation of our nation’s constitution.
“Such disdain on our respected national figure by President Buhari is completely unpresidential,” the statement reads.
The campaign organisation condoled with the Shagari family, government and people of Sokoto state, the National Council of State and the entire nation for the national loss.
