The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has condemned President Muhammadu Buhari’s absence at the burial of former President of Nigeria, Alhaji Shehu Shagari, last weekend.

The party said the President’s absence at the funeral, particularly regarding Alhaji Shehu Shagari’s status, as the first Executive President of the nation, was unpardonable and a very wrong precedence in the national protocol.

PDP Presidential Campaign Organization, in a statement on Monday by its Director, Media & Publicity, Kola Ologbondiyan, said, “this action by the Buhari Presidency has also sent a wrong signal to the international community on our national values and respect for our patriots.”

PDP also noted that Vice President Yemi Osinbajo was also absent at President Shehu Shagari’s burial and that the federal government has taken no concrete step to give a state honour to “this very patriotic Nigerian, other than a rather belated directive to fly our national flag at half-mast for just three days and a dramatic visit to Sokoto by President Buhari.

“Sadly, while our beloved President Shagari was at the National Hospital Abuja, passing through his last moments on this realm, President Buhari was busy at his campaign rally in Uyo, Akwa-Ibom State, boasting of how he, as military head of state, sacked the Second Republic, arrested and locked up President Shehu Shagari and his officials, in clear violation of our nation’s constitution.

“Such disdain on our respected national figure by President Buhari is completely unpresidential.”