2019: Nigeria needs change of leadership, Buhari govt irresponsible -South, Middle-belt leaders

Leaders of different ethnic nationalities in the country, under the aegis of Northern Elders Forum (NEF), Afenifere, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), and Middle Belt Forum, have rejected President Muhammadu Buhari’s continued stay in power beyond 2019.

The group which branded Buhari a failure and lacking what it takes to lead, suggested that his government in the past three years has remained a disaster. They said that “Nigeria needs a new leadership from next year;” a leadership that will “understand what the duties of a responsible and responsive government is”.

The leaders stated this in response to President Buhari’s speech during the opening of the General Debate of the 73rd Session of the United Nations’ General Assembly (UNGA73), where the Nigerian leader insisted that terrorism and insurgency in the Sahel region and Lake Chad Basin are fuelled by local runaway fighters from Iraq and Syria and arms from the disintegration of Libya.

In a statement jointly signed on Thursday a leader of PANDEF, Chief Edwin Clark; leader of NEF, Professor Ango Abdullahi; leader of Afenifere, Chief Ayo Adebanjo; President- General of Ohanaeze, Chief John Nnia Nwodo, and President, Middle Belt Forum, Dr. Pogu Bitrus, the group said there was no way Nigeria will continue to die daily as a people unprotected under Buhari’s leadership for another four years “after the first unfortunate four years of this administration.”

The statement reads: “The Nigerian Leaders and Elders Forum is totally embarrassed that President Muhammadu Buhari has gone to the global stage once again to restate his position that terrorism and insurgency in the Sahel region and Lake Chad Basin are fuelled by local runaway fighters from Iraq and Syria and arms from the disintegration of Libya.

“The president spoke in New York where he unfolded Nigeria’s position on international matters before the global audience during the opening of the General Debate of the 73rd Session of the United Nations’ General Assembly (UNGA73).

“The position of the President is obviously a disingenuous way of explaining the failure of leadership of Nigeria under him to fulfill the elementary obligation of any constituted authority -protecting the lives of its citizens.

“In the last three and a half years, thousands of lives have been lost to bandits and terrorists, with our government failing to apprehend any suspect, except giving one excuse or the other for its inability to secure our country.

“The palpable failure of the administration has led many citizens, including Lt Gen TY Danjuma, to conclude that there could be some complicity between the terrorists and some members of our security forces.

READ ALSO: Bold move as APC disqualifies two Buhari ministers from governorship primaries

“This is why it is so scandalous that the president would still be offering this jaded line a few months to the end of his tenure.

“Does he expect Nigerians to hold an appreciation rally that he is telling them that he knows where those killing them are from and he cannot do anything about it?

“It is more appalling that one of the major planks of campaign by the President in 2015 was to secure Nigeria. Is this how to secure a country?

“If a group of foreign gangsters decide to take over the government of Nigeria today, is it this kind of lamentations we would see?

“It is pretty clear Nigerians cannot have security under a President that admits this kind of abysmal failure and incapacity at a global stage.

“It is a confirmation of our position that Nigeria needs a new leadership from next year that understands what the duties of a responsible and responsive government is.

“We cannot continue to die daily as a people unprotected under this type of leadership for another four years after the first unfortunate four years of this administration.”

By Ebere Ndukwu …

 

 

RipplesNigeria… without borders, without fears

Click here to join the Ripples Nigeria WhatsApp group for latest updates.

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now