Two civil society organisations have criticised the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), and the Presidency over the recent national honours bestowed on politicians, traditional leaders, policymakers and captains of industry recently.
The PUNCH reported that the President conferred national honours on 447 recipients; Nigerians and foreigners, at the International Conference Centre, Abuja, on Tuesday.
The Secretary of the Joint Action Front, Abbey Bamigboye, said the national honour event was a parley of the ruling class, organised by the government to unite them towards the 2023 elections.
Bamigboye, popularly known as Abbey Trosky, said, “It is a ploy by the Federal Government to forge a united front among their ranks towards the 2023 general elections, in order to achieve a common agreement on their plans. When you look at all the individuals that are given the awards, they are mostly members of the billionaire class.
“Given the fact that the next government will be formed by any of these ruling class, there is a need for them to be united before they are able to drive those oppressive agendas.”
Similarly, the Chairman, Public Interest Law Foundation, Ayo Ademiluyi, described the ceremony as a “charade” and a face-saving move by the Buhari regime in its final days in office.
Referring to the October 20, 2020 #EndSARS protests, he said the Federal Government and its collaborators should be sued to the International Court of Justice over crimes against humanity.
Ademiluyi said, “I am of the firm opinion that this Buhari’s regime is looking for a final beautification before its exit. The ceremony of national honour is more or less good riddance to bad rubbish.
“To the exception of very few persons, including but not limited to Teni, the musician, who even refused to bow to the idol of General Buhari, despite the national honour. That national honour, to say the least, is nothing but a charade.
“This regime will go down in Nigerian history as one of the most draconian, one of the most inhumane regimes in our recent history. The memory of October 20, 2022 is still fresh in our minds. In less than a week from now, that ugly scenario will be remembered.
“We put the blood of innocent protesters in the hands of nobody else but the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, and his partners in crime. As soon as they exit the office, they should be arraigned for crimes against humanity.”
