Umar to Buhari: Conducting census waste of funds, deal with insecurity

…says decision on headcount shocking to Nigerians

Former military Governor of Kaduna state, Colonel Abubakar Dangiwa Umar has charged President Muhammadu Buhari to forget the idea of conducting a national census and concentrate on tackling the prevailing insecurity in the country. Umar who is also the Chairman of Movement for Unity and Progress in a statement made available to newsmen in Kaduna on Friday said the decision by the federal government to conduct a national census in April 2023 was a great shock to well-meaning Nigerians.

Umar described the planned census as a waste of resources saying a country that is facing challenges and the level of insecurity, “collapsing economy cannot have as one of its priorities the conduct of a National census.” He therefore asked the President Muhammadu Buhari led administration to concentrate on securing the country and conducting the 2023 elections instead of the census.

Part of the statement said, “The decision of the federal government to seek and gothe approval of the National Council of State to conduct national census in April 2023 must have come as a great shock to most well-meaning Nigerians. “A country that is facing existential challenges such as unprecedented level of insecurity, collapsing economy cannot have as one of its priorities the conduct of a national census. “We therefore urge the Buhari administration to suspend what will amount to misadventure and waste of scarce national resources,” Umar said.