“We are confident that a General Mohammadu Buhari presidency would probe these agencies and divert all stolen revenue back to the development of the region and Nigeria as a whole”. These were the words contained in the declaration of support for General Muhammadu Buhari by the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta(MEND).
Nigerians will for sure be surprised that the sauce gentleman who is revered and respected; so much to be sought after, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, would be linked to any terrorist cell or group of any sort.
It will be sour to the ear to hear that our very own “Peoples general”, who has been known for uprightness will be in cohorts with terrorists and enemies of the Nigerian nation to which he has severally pledged his love and loyalty.
However what many have soon forgotten is that Buhari has never hidden his penchant for terror and violence. The army general whose name we all chant and revere, has always had it in him to promote and thirst for violence.
It will be too fresh to forget the frequent defensive outburst by our own very general to lend support to the militant Boko Haram sect. His constant criticism of the Federal troops in their onslaught against these militants. One continue to wonder how he intends to fight the war against terrorism when he does not believe in supporting our Armed Forces to do their job in the first place. If we may ask, is he going to turn to some spiritualists who would tell us that the pigeon representing Shekau has refused to fly?
It is on record that Buhari has severally and consistently criticized government for protecting Nigerians against the attacks of Boko Haram and has gleefully announced that government forces should stop attacking Boko Haram, and in fact, should treat them like the Niger Delta militants; in other words, rehabilitate them, grant them amnesty and pay them every month, concluding that any attack on the Boko Haram sect was a declaration of war on the people of Northern Nigeria.
How soon have we forgotten the massacres and violence that followed his loss in the 2010 elections, where thousand were killed in kano as a result of crisis instigated by this one man? Or is it the bloody Baboon and hyena promise that we are all so quick to forget?
There is a letter flying today on social media that Boko Haram in another manner has endorsed General Muhammadu Buhari for the presidency again. Yes, truth be told that every Nigeria has a right to freely associate but not Boko Haram. No person of integrity vying for any position in this world should seek to benefit from the psychological trauma, torture and heinous crimes that this notorious group has done to citizens of this country. We fear that the entire support base of this gentleman has been overtaken by blood thirsty people who would do anything for their commands to stand with questions from members of the society, decorum should still remain the order of the day if he must get the votes of reasonable Nigerians who may give in to any iota of sympathy to his age and failing health to give him a vote at the polls.
Nigerians for a very long time yearned for change, positive change. The longing for change is innate in all Nigerians, such that if we are not careful in the pursuit of this desire, we may fall in a pit deep enough to bury all our the independent enjoyed so far. Only a negative change like the prophess by this factional MEND and its leaders like Henry Okah can give us such fast changes with bombs. The change of killing and sucking the blood of innocent souls is not what we yearn for at the moment.
Muhammadu Buhari should be reminded that the first responsibility of a leader is to be responsible for the life and property of his followers and for the presidency also defend the territorial integrity of his nation.
Buhari should also note that a leader without followers is no longer a leader and as such if the North East is ravaged by violence while he sponsors his friends, Henry Okah and his cohorts to wage war against the state, it is pertinent to ask which nation he desires to govern.
Our democracy was painfully gotten and should be preserved jealously, Lest we loose it to those who denied us of such precious liberty and joy. We should be careful not to back to the years of non-ending and bogus jail terms, inhuman treatment and sectionalism. We have tasted true leadership and enjoyed the gains of followership enough to go back to dictatorial and violent rule. It is also ripe that Nigerians relate between the desperation to serve and the genuine desire to offer service.
Nigerians still need to know more from the General before decision day.
Patriot Mbani is National President, Nigerian Youth Arise for Positive Change.
