Former Vice President of the World Bank and Co-Convener of the #BringBackOurGirls movement, Obiageli “Oby” Ezekwesili will be presenting a rare State of the Federation address in response to President Muhammadu Buhari, on the occasion of Nigeria’s 58th Independence Day celebration on October 1, she has exclusively informed PREMIUM TIMES.
“My assessment of the Muhammadu Buhari administration is public, and it is stark – this is a government that has failed on crucial indices on the economy, on security, corruption and on unifying Nigerians by effectively managing our diversity ,” she said. “Every Independence Day since 2015, I have carefully listened to his message to the nation, and every time he has failed on what the moment calls for – inspiration, unity and clarity of purpose in his leadership and governance of Nigeria. Every year, he has so far failed in the context of our multiple challenges, to give most Nigerians reason to be enthusiastic about the future direction of his leadership of country and people.
“It is my hope that this year is different, but I am not betting on it. Therefore in my shared role in the #OfficeOfTheCitizen alongside other Nigerians, I will be responding to his address as a citizen, as a Nigerian, as a deep believer in our predominantly youth population and the future ahead of all of us, with a message that I think is urgent and necessary. It will be a message of hope, and a clarion call on all, suggesting ways to prepare ourselves for this next cycle of both Nigeria’s democracy and its nationhood,” she said.
The special message will be delivered via video across the nation immediately after the president’s broadcast.
Ezekwesili who regularly engages Nigeria’s youth through her almost-1 million strong Twitter handle, took a break from the social platform for the past few weeks after mulling a run against the president in the 2019 presidential elections.
She tweets @obyezekwesili, and her movement – launched in January this year – to ensure Nigerians have an effective political alternative to the “Siamese twins of bad leadership #APCPDP” in 2019 tweets @redcardmng.
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