Northern youths have commended former President Olusegun Obasanjo for his letter asking President Muhammadu Buhari not to contest in 2019.
In an interview with Vanguard in Kaduna, the president of Arewa Youths Consultative Forum, Alhaji Yerima Shettima said what former President Olusegun said is what they had seen long ago and had been drawing the president’s attention to.
President Buhari seems to be losing his support base as 2019 approaches. Photo credit: Aso Rock
His words: “Obasanjo is saying what people like us saw from inception. We saw it coming earlier than now. We felt patriotism does not mean if government favours you, you cannot be objective. Being objective means even if it is your father that is doing something strong, you should summon courage to say it is right or wrong.
“To me, I strongly believe that the only way you can show you love Buhari is to tell him the simple truth, which we did long before now but when we advised him how to do better than the previous governments, we were tagged Buhari’s enemy by his blind followers who felt whatever he does is right.
“It is not done that way because, government is like a barrack. Anybody can be there. This is democracy. It is about the people. Your primary responsibility has to be the welfare of the people. Anything short of that is a total failure. You cannot torture people in the name of governance.” he said.
Similarly, the president of Arewa Youths Forum, Alhaji Gambo Ibrahim Gujungu said Obasanjo spoke the minds of dispassionate Nigerians, urging President Buhari to heed the call.
He accused the president of prosecuting a lopsided war against corruption, adding that the president cannot claim to be fighting corruption when his ‘cabals’ were allegedly enmeshed in the act.
“Two weeks ago, we issued a statement warning him (Buhari) not to contest the 2019 general election because he is yet to fulfill his 2015 election campaign promises. We are also not in support of how he is fighting corruption in the country. Imagine what is going even within the so-called ‘cabals’ where issues bothering on corruption are dangling over their heads.
“We are in line with what former President Obasanjo said. He ( Buhari) should give way since he cannot fix the country and allow others with the capacity to do so come in board. Let him go home and rest in 2019,” he said.
On his part, the president of League of National Patriot, Abdulkareem Abdullahi Ikharo hailed the former president as a courageous patriot who has the interest of the country at heart.
His words: “This has clearly shown and demonstrated that the former president is a true nation builder and also a leader who truly have the nation at heart.
“It is clear that majority of Nigerians are disillusioned since this present Buhari led administration has failed to meet up with its promises and expectations of our people. Obasanjo has spoken the minds of over 150 million citizens of this country.”
Meanwhile, the All Progressives Congress (APC) has acknowledged the 13-page letter of former Obasanjo addressed to President Buhari.
The letter which was been the number one trending topic in Nigeria on Tuesday, January 23, has charged up the Nigerian political firmament.
Inquiries made by journalists to get the reaction of the ruling APC, was not successful as the party said it will respond later.
“The APC asked to be given the opportunity to study the statement. We shall respond appropriately afterwards,” the party's national publicity secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi finally stated.
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