Home OPINION COLUMNISTS They Abused Us In Port Harcourt, By Yusuf Ozi-Usman

They Abused Us In Port Harcourt, By Yusuf Ozi-Usman

Those who gathered in Port Harcourt last weekend to seek the platform of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to lead Nigeria, through ballot box, from 2019, are supposed to be honourable, respectful and reasonable leaders.

They are supposed to be symbols of our national pride in all its ramifications. They are supposed to be the preservers of our collective heritage and promoters of all that we hold dear as an independent, vibrant and proud nation.

But, when such leaders, even at the party level; before they come down to seek for our votes to lead us, practically showed their preference for foreign currency in dealing with getting the delegates’ node over and above our local currency, one wonders what type of leadership they would provide at a larger pedestal, and what national values and pride they will promote.

I was disgusted, driven by a sense of patriotism for the only country I can proudly call my own, to see open display of unpatriotic act by the leaders who ought to show the youths the attitude of appreciating the national possession, especially, the nation’s currency no matter how low it has become.

For one, it was a big surprise that such large number of American Dollar was stashed away by the politicians at the time the nation was groping in pains over none availability of the same currency, that was at the time the government of President Muhammadu Buhari came to powe in 2015.

As a matter of fact, it is a total insult on our national collective pride that the politicians of the PDP extract under-rated the nations Naira, which of course, represents our pride as a nation. there was virtually no mention of Nigerian currency at the party’s national convention in Port Harcourt. It was as if they were in America!

It is even more shameful that Atiku Abubakar, who eventually got the ticket, allegedly gave out 5000 Dollar per delegate at the venue; the new PDP candidate that will be campaigning to preside over the affairs of this country.

One wonders what a prospective president would be thinking when he and his team downgraded the currency with which he will obviously use to advance the economy at the very time he was supposed to promote it.

Has Nigeria been so out of place that the person who wants to lead it would not even as much as pretend that he loves it and is committed to its advancement in the simple matter of using the country’s currency to appeal to the delegates?

Why would our politicians continue to abuse us, our national pride and all that we stand for as free born?

I’m wondering what the PDP leaders will tell Nigerians about the stabilization of exchange rate, which is mostly Dollar base, if the candidate they float becomes President, even as they had already played the Naira into the hand of the ever rising rate of Dollar.

I’m wondering if they and their candidate will have any moral right to complain about the reversed economic gains so far made if their candidate becomes President when, right from the beginning they have subjected the economy, in their own way, to the superiority of the Dollar.

They and their candidate should stop abusing the sensibility of Nigerians, by thinking and acting as if Dollar is equal to a ticket for them (Nigerians) to enter heaven.

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