Arise Interview: Buhari Takes Delight In Ridiculing Igbos, Utterances Unpresidential — Afenifere

The Yoruba Pan Socio-Political Group Afenifere has accused
President Muhammadu Buhari of taking delight in ridiculing Igbos by
his unpresidential utterances.

The group’s Secretary General Chief Sola Ebiseni in a statement
in Akure in reaction to the President’s interview on Arise as
regards IPOB, Afenifere said that ” the President takes delight in
ridiculing the Ndigbo which he used IPOB to represent.

“Thus, to him, the Igbo and their territory is just a dot in a
circle of the map of Nigeria, which even if the secede could exit
to nowhere since the elders and youths of the South-South had
assured him of not being part of the secessionist agenda.

“He couldn’t have been reacting to the IPOB but the Igbo who he
said had businesses everywhere.

“His utterances were very unpresidential and in the mode of
common expressions with some unidentifiable northern
organisations.

Afenifere statement entitled ” Our irredeemable President” reads
” Buhari has sheer contempt for Nigerians as an unrepentant
tribalist.

“First, his arranged interview on Arise Television is not a
substitute for the clamour of Nigerians that the President, as the
father of the Federation, should speak to Nigerians in this
critical times.

“Secondly, his engagement was full of lies, inconsistencies,
contradictions and utter disrespect for the ethnic nationalities
including their elected governors.

” He is pathetically unschooled in the constitution which he
often claims to guide him in spite of its manifest flaws.

According to the group ” his engagement was full of lies,
inconsistencies, contradictions and utter disrespect for the ethnic
nationalities including their elected governors.

On the lopsided appointment in the Armed forces, the group said
” the President’s claim that his appointment in the armed forces is
based on merit and seniority and not to satisfy geopolitical zones,
is a violation of the letters and intendment of the provisions of
sections 217-220 dealing with the Armed Forces of the federation
and appointments thereto.

“Specifically, Section 217 (3) provides that the composition of
the officer corps and other ranks of the armed forces of the
federation shall reflect the Federal character of Nigeria.

“In Section 219, all the powers given the President including
the appointment of Service Chiefs, is subject to the Act of the
National Assembly ensuring the reflection of the Federal
character.

” Even his latest appointment of the Chief of Army Staff, is
flawed particularly on seniority. The constitution never
contemplates nor approve of the situation under Buhari where 90% of
the commanding heights of the armed forces and security
architecture will be from only northern Nigeria and only the two
zones of North East and North West.

” In any case, anyone familiar with the history of Buhari
leadership will appreciate that he is the only Nigerian leader,
even among military Heads of state, whose government government,
himself, second in command as Chief of staff Supreme headquarters
(Idiagbon) and top echelon were all northerners. It was after his
death that many Nigerians knew Idiagbon was Fulani of Ilorin.

On the governors, the group said that ” the President owned up
to the statements of Garba Shehu, his most uninformed spokesman,
that the ban on open grazing by the Governors was illegal and he
could not make a new statement that would contradict him.

“He is delighted that Governors are Chief Security Officers
without any security powers, yet he asked two of the South West
Governors to exercise a non-existent powers to deal with terrorists
herdsmen who he acknowledged bear arms, even as foreigners ,
against Nigerian citizens.

“It is pitiful that our President has no solution rather than
the braggadocio of re-opening grazing routes in states by
repossessing such lands for his beloved herdsmen.

” Let the President be told that the Yoruba people are solidly
behind our Governors that not an inch of land in our territory will
be carved out for any grazing reserves or cattle Colony.

The group said that ” If the President has any respect for his
much vaunted constitution, he will know that he has no such power
over land use. Nemo dat quod non habet.

The Yoruba Pan Socio-Political Group Afenifere has accused
President Muhammadu Buhari of taking delight in ridiculing Igbos by
his unpresidential utterances.

The group’s Secretary General Chief Sola Ebiseni in a statement
in Akure in reaction to the President’s interview on Arise as
regards IPOB, Afenifere said that ” the President takes delight in
ridiculing the Ndigbo which he used IPOB to represent.

“Thus, to him, the Igbo and their territory is just a dot in a
circle of the map of Nigeria, which even if the secede could exit
to nowhere since the elders and youths of the South-South had
assured him of not being part of the secessionist agenda.

“He couldn’t have been reacting to the IPOB but the Igbo who he
said had businesses everywhere.

“His utterances were very unpresidential and in the mode of
common expressions with some unidentifiable northern
organisations.

Afenifere statement entitled ” Our irredeemable President” reads
” Buhari has sheer contempt for Nigerians as an unrepentant
tribalist.

“First, his arranged interview on Arise Television is not a
substitute for the clamour of Nigerians that the President, as the
father of the Federation, should speak to Nigerians in this
critical times.

“Secondly, his engagement was full of lies, inconsistencies,
contradictions and utter disrespect for the ethnic nationalities
including their elected governors.

” He is pathetically unschooled in the constitution which he
often claims to guide him in spite of its manifest flaws.

According to the group ” his engagement was full of lies,
inconsistencies, contradictions and utter disrespect for the ethnic
nationalities including their elected governors.

On the lopsided appointment in the Armed forces, the group said
” the President’s claim that his appointment in the armed forces is
based on merit and seniority and not to satisfy geopolitical zones,
is a violation of the letters and intendment of the provisions of
sections 217-220 dealing with the Armed Forces of the federation
and appointments thereto.

“Specifically, Section 217 (3) provides that the composition of
the officer corps and other ranks of the armed forces of the
federation shall reflect the Federal character of Nigeria.

“In Section 219, all the powers given the President including
the appointment of Service Chiefs, is subject to the Act of the
National Assembly ensuring the reflection of the Federal
character.

” Even his latest appointment of the Chief of Army Staff, is
flawed particularly on seniority. The constitution never
contemplates nor approve of the situation under Buhari where 90% of
the commanding heights of the armed forces and security
architecture will be from only northern Nigeria and only the two
zones of North East and North West.

” In any case, anyone familiar with the history of Buhari
leadership will appreciate that he is the only Nigerian leader,
even among military Heads of state, whose government government,
himself, second in command as Chief of staff Supreme headquarters
(Idiagbon) and top echelon were all northerners. It was after his
death that many Nigerians knew Idiagbon was Fulani of Ilorin.

On the governors, the group said that ” the President owned up
to the statements of Garba Shehu, his most uninformed spokesman,
that the ban on open grazing by the Governors was illegal and he
could not make a new statement that would contradict him.

“He is delighted that Governors are Chief Security Officers
without any security powers, yet he asked two of the South West
Governors to exercise a non-existent powers to deal with terrorists
herdsmen who he acknowledged bear arms, even as foreigners ,
against Nigerian citizens.

“It is pitiful that our President has no solution rather than
the braggadocio of re-opening grazing routes in states by
repossessing such lands for his beloved herdsmen.

” Let the President be told that the Yoruba people are solidly
behind our Governors that not an inch of land in our territory will
be carved out for any grazing reserves or cattle Colony.

The group said that ” If the President has any respect for his
much vaunted constitution, he will know that he has no such power
over land use. Nemo dat quod non habet.