CUPP changes gear, withdraws call on NASS to boycott Buhari’s budget presentation

Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) has changed its mind on its stand that the National Assembly members should boycott President Muhammadu Buhari’s presentation of the 2019 Appropriation Bill slated for Wednesday, December 19.

The coalition said in a statement through its first national spokesperson, Imo Ugochinyere, that it withdrew its call for the boycott after the President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, and House of Representatives Speaker, Yakubu Dogara, and two unnamed former presidents advised it against the call.

CUPP however called on the National Assembly members to scrutinise the document when eventually presented.

“The opposition coalition has yielded to the pressure of an early morning intervention by the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki; and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, calling on opposition coalition CUPP to sheath their sword and withdraw their call on opposition boycott.

“The opposition leadership, after reviewing the intervention of Senate President and the Speaker as well as other eminent leaders, including two former presidents, wish to announce a withdrawal of the call.

“The opposition coalition says they will continue efforts to ensure that they deploy all lawful arsenal at their disposal to ensure that the President is defeated and urges parliamentarians to scrutinise the budget documents when presented and ensure it reflects the wishes of the people.

“The opposition, however, holds strongly to the views expressed for the boycott over the three-year reign of impunity of the President, despite the call off.

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“The opposition also condemns the IGP for illegally holding activist Deji Adeyanju and moving him by 4am to Kano in a plot to hold him behind bars over a case he has been discharged and acquitted of by a court of competent jurisdiction,” the statement read.

The group of political parties added that despite the withdrawal of the boycott order, it still stood by its earlier position that Buhari’s government has been characterised by “a reign of impunity.”

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