TheCable

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has berated the presidency over its “lies” concerning the Martin Luther King award said to have been received by President Muhammadu Buhari.

The family of King, late American human rights activist, visited Buhari on Monday.

During the visit, Naomi Barbara King, matriarch of the family, presented a plaque to the president.

The federal government later announced that Buhari was conferred with the Black History Month National Black Excellence and Exceptional African Leadership Award 2018.

Yesterday, Pres @MBuhari received the family of the late African American civil rights activist, Martin Luther King (Jr), at the State House, Abuja. He was also conferred with the 1st Black History Month National Black Excellence and Exceptional African Leadership Award 2018. pic.twitter.com/V6hHiYR1cI

— Government of Nigeria (@NigeriaGov) March 27, 2018

But the King Center dissociated itself from the award, saying it was not given by it.

Abike Dabiri-Erewa, senior special adviser to the president on diaspora, later said a “commemorative plaque” was given to Buhari in personal capacity.

In a statement on Thursday, the PDP described the presidency’s claim regarding the award as a “national disgrace and embarrassment”.

The statement, issued by Kola Ologbondiyan, the party spokesman, said the incident “has again made our nation a laughing stock before the international community”.

“It is now clear that this sinking, incompetent and deceptive APC administration, in their desperation, can fabricate and stage-manage anything, including name-dropping of international figures and agencies, in their desperate attempt to delude Nigerians, once again, now that the 2019 general election is fasta approaching,” the statement read.

“Nigerians have discovered that having failed to gain any endorsement from reputable international figures such as Bill Gates, the APC and the presidency have now cheapened the nation by resorting to this despicable act of name-dropping of world-renowned human right activist, Dr. Martin Luther King jr, further dragging down our once-sterling image before the comity of nations.

“The fact remains that not many Nigerians believed in the authenticity of the award in the first place, as the Buhari-led administration, by its undemocratic and anti-people proclivities, including records of violations of rights of citizens, is not deserving of any form of recognition by any human rights group, let alone the family of the world-acclaimed Martin Luther King Jr.

“While we urge the presidency to shed its proclivity for lies, we demand the immediate arrest, investigation and prosecution of all the presidency officials involved in this messy scandal and crime against our nation.”