The Arewa Consultative Forum,
ACF, has observed that former President Obasanjo lacks the moral standing to
make any damning statements against any government in the country.
Former President Obasanjo
recently in an open letter to President Buhari raised issues which mostly
bordered on insecurity, among others in the country.
Muhammad Ibrahim Biu, ACF National Publicity Secretary
in a statement of reply to Obasanjo’s letter to President Buhari said, “As far
as the ACF and indeed the North is concerned, Chief Obasanjo lacks the moral
standing to make any damning statements against any government considering his
antecedents while at the helm of affairs as President.
“His statements and comments on
national issues are neither driven by altruism nor by patriotism, but sheer
self aggrandizement.
“What, we must ask, motivates
Chief Obasanjo’s current divisive activities? His recent outburst on
‘Islamization’, Fulanization’, and ‘Northernization’ are clearly calculated at
causing division and acrimony along religious, ethnic and regional lines which
is most unfortunate.”
ACF noted that the former
President knows more than any other Nigerian that there is no such thing as
Islamization or Fulanization in the North’s agenda, adding, “Enemies of the
North chose to propagate such negative narratives only with the view to causing
disharmony among undiscerning Nigerians.
“Unfortunately many, including
the highly educated and politically sophisticated elites have unwittingly
fallen into the trap of believing in Obasanjo and his ilk.”
The forum noted with sadness how
the negative stereotype associated with the issue of “Fulani herdsmen” is
gradually degenerating into a national crisis.
“We find the assertion that every
crime committed in, especially the southern part of the country, as being
committed by Fulani herdsmen, irresponsible and deliberately aimed at achieving
some certain diabolical objectives.
“The narration that every
criminal, armed robbers and kidnappers are Fulani herdsmen because a Fulani man
is at helm of affairs is a dangerous precedent which has to stop. Criminals
must be regarded as criminals without giving them any ethnic, religious or
regional coloration,” ACF queries.
The forum believed that Chief
Obasanjo used the privilege to raiset he issues, which mostly bordered on
insecurity in his latest letter, stressing, “It must, however, be noted that
the issues are not new to Nigerians as he had raised them in his previous open
letters to the President, so also other Nigerians in different fora.
“All the same, in exercising our
right to comment on the letter, it is our candid opinion that Chief Obasanjo
being a former President and an elder statesman who has unfettered access to
the President should use a better and most civilized way of communicating his
views to a sitting President rather than going public to create unnecessary
scene and try to bring down the roof.”
ACF said that Chief Obasanjo has
become relentless in his self-appointed task of a Cassandra-in- Chief for
Nigeria, always proclaiming doomsday, predicting upheaval and bloodbath, which
to say the least has diminished his acclaimed status as a patriot and
nationalist.
ACF, therefore, called on groups
and individuals who engage in such narratives to rise above such pettiness.
“We must realize that insurgency,
banditry, kidnappings and armed robbery are our common enemies. We must join
hands in finding a lasting solution to the menace.
“There is no gain saying the fact
that the country is currently facing dire security challenges with its
consequences, however, we must quickly add that the challenges are as a result
of cumulative failures of past administrations advised.
The forum enjoined the President,
more than ever before, should rejig the nation’s security apparatus for
effective performance.
It appealed to the Federal
Government to employ both security and political solutions to the various
challenges facing the nation.
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