Those who booed Buhari are ‘political imbeciles’ –Muslim group

The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has joined Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State in rebuking federal lawmakers over the drama that played out during the presentation of the 2019 budget before the National Assembly by President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday.

MURIC described the entire 8th assembly as “political imbeciles” containing people seeking personal gains rather than the interest of the country.

Earlier, Governor Bello had said the lawmakers that booed the President lacked home training.

MURIC gave their position in a statement signed and released by its Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola.

It reads, “Our lawmakers manifested articulated immaturity and exhibited pronounced desertification of parliamentary decorum. They desecrated the hallowed chamber. It was such a shame of a National Assembly (NASS).

“They descended to the lowest abyss of disgraceful conduct. It is now very clear that the 8th NASS is suffering from acute poverty of patriotism, a yawning lacunae for dignity and an irredeemable deficiency in righteousness.

“To boo and jeer during the presentation of an annual budget shows that our legislators are not interested in how Nigeria makes progress. This was an occasion when lawmakers are expected to show seriousness as the fate of the nation and its people for the next year was being reeled out.

“In saner climes, the elected representatives of the people manifest concern as the budget of their country is read. They eschew politicking and listen with rapt attention. But not Nigerian lawmakers of the 8th NASS.

“These are the same lawmakers who delayed 2018 budget for seven months and refused to have anything to do with it until they had sliced off the juicest portions unto themselves.

“MURIC is not depriving the lawmakers of their right to disagree with the executive. But no lawmaker worth the salt anywhere in the world will carry political disagreement to issues pertaining to the welfare of the citizens.

“The budget of a country reflects the fate of the people and their welfare at least for that year and sometimes impacts on their future. For choosing to make caricatures of themselves on that august occasion, our lawmakers have proved that they are not worth the trust reposed in them.

“MURIC is not tongue-lashing the lawmakers for booing. We are chastising them for booing without knowing when to stop. Donald Trump was booed during the State of the Union address on 17th January, 2018 but it was done in a very civilized manner.

Read also: By booing Buhari, NASS proved ‘a child not well trained by his parents is a menace to society’– Bello

Democrats who booed him kept quiet after a while and listened attentively because they knew it was about America, not about Trump. They booed Trump for being inhuman by trying to halt chain immigration of poor people from the Third World. That was issue-based.

“Our own lawmakers booed the president non-stop to the extent that Speaker Dogara who was expected to dive the closing remarks could not do so. They booed without borders. They threw caution to the winds.They booed President Buhari for identifying with the poor masses of Nigeria, for refusing to steal and for exposing their voracious gluttony. It is laughable, detestable, repulsive and condescending, It is, indeed, a tale of two cities.

The group saluted the composure and maturity displayed by the President during the drama by the “rascally lawmakers.”

“MURIC salutes President Muhammadu Buhari for remaining calm and composed throughout the day. Mr. President stood ramrod as they booed and jeered. His comportment unsettled his adversaries. He made the nation proud by refusing to loose his temper.”

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