Afenifere Leader, Pa Ayo Adebanjo has said that President Muhammadu Buhari is the enemy number one of Nigeria given his obvious war against restructuring which he said is the only way to set Nigeria on the part of progress.
According to him the Presidents support of open-grazing by Fulani herdsmen and his disobedience of our laws as regards to federal character principles etc showed that he is not a true Nigerian patriot.
Adebanjo who spoke alongside other eminent Nigerians, including Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State, spokesman of the Northern Elders Forum (NEF) Dr. Hakeem Baba- Ahmed , Uche Onyeguocha etc at the dialogue organised by an online platform, Ripples Nigeria themed: ‘Rebuilding Trust in a Divided Nigeria: Advancing the Conversation’, held at the Sheraton Hotel in Ikeja, Lagos called for the restructuring of the country.
According to Adebanjo, “if Buhari does not know what is restructuring he should go back to the independence constitution signed by Ahmadu Bello, Chief Obafemi Awolowo and Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe at independence.
Governor Okowa in his address maintained that the criminal Fulani herdsmen totting AK47 has become the greatest threat to our national survival, adding that the government must tackle the herdsmen to ensure security of lives and property and food security.
Therefore, he stated that the media has a vital role to play in ensuring that the security challenges facing the country are effectively and adequately handled in the overall interest of the nation.
Going on he pontificated that“ Nigeria is better and stronger together and, with appropriate visionary leadership and good governance, we can turn our diversity into a great source of strength, and a springboard to build a strong multi-ethnic and multi-religious country that will be the envy of other nations.
“As 2023 approaches, leadership is key and the focus should be on electing a pan-Nigerian as president, a person with the capacity and charisma to cast a vision for Nigeria and rally all Nigerians behind it. We need a selfless, sacrificial, sincere, broadminded, caring and capable president that will inspire hope and confidence in the country.”
NEF spokesperson, Baba-Ahmed said the “ north has paid the biggest price for the failure of President Muhammadu Buhari. Don’t attribute Buhari’s failure to Northerners. The people in the north have the wrong person in office because they are the first victims of the mis governance of president Buhari.”
The Executive Director of the Ripples Centre of Investigative Journalism (RCDIJ) Mr. Sam Ibemere, in his opening speech stressed the success of the platform and its centre, while reiterating that the import of the gathering to address the national challenges due to the widening gulf amongst the peoples on Nigeria.
Professor Usman Yusuf in his comments called for a return to righteousness ,saying that its a return to faith, family and friendship that can save Nigeria.
Former House of Reps member, Uche Onyeguocha urged Nigerians to get set to battle Nigeria’s increasing corruption under Buhari and called for the introduction of anti-corruption policies that can save the nation.
He posited that Nigeria fall to the abyss of corruption of corruption and violence is noy without the ignoble roles played by former military leaders who failed the nation, even as he called on Buhari, Gowon and Obasanjo to apologise to the nation .
