Dino Melaye, a former senator and member of the National Assembly, has slammed President Muhammadu Buhari for asking governors under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to assist him to pick a successor.
On Tuesday, Buhari told the governors of the ruling party that he needs their support in choosing his successor during a meeting at Aso Rock.
“In keeping with the established internal policies of the party and as we approach the convention in a few days, I wish to solicit the reciprocity and support of the governors and other stakeholders in picking my successor, who would fly the flag of our party,” the president said.
Faulting Buhari’s statement, Melaye said the president intentionally used the word ‘successor’, instead of ‘flagbearer’ or ‘candidate’ for the APC.
The ex-senator via his Twitter handle stated that ‘the president made a statement that is sacrilegious, unconstitutional, dictatorial which has some very inhumane tendencies’
He further added that It is sacrilegious, abominable, and undemocratic for a president to talk about a successor in an election that has not been conducted.
“Fellow countrymen and women, I am here to address you once again because of our nation’s history. Yesterday, the president made a statement that is sacrilegious, unconstitutional, and dictatorial and has some very inhumane tendencies.
“The president said that the governors of APC should support him to choose a successor. The president deliberately used the word ‘successor’ and not ‘flagbearer’ or ‘candidate’ of the APC. That statement has some negative import and the negative effect is that the president wants to impose a president o Nigerians.
“We are in a democracy and we will not allow imposition, we will not allow the president to handle this country as if we are in a monarchical or hereditary system of government. It is sacrilegious, abominable, and undemocratic for a president to talk about a successor in an election that has not been conducted. If he says they should support him to get a flagbearer it is a different matter.
“So, I am calling the attention of Nigerians to be on alert because this is a battle to salvage this country from this economic cankerworm and financial scavengers. This is a battle of no retreat, no surrender. I want to address Mr President, we are ready more than ever before to defend this democracy with our blood. We will not allow imposition, we will not allow rigging and we will not allow any tendency that is anti-democratic. God bless the federal republic of Nigeria,” Melaye said.
