Inside Nigeria
Nigerians Have Lost Confidence In Buhari – Onaiyekan
The Catholic Archbishop of Abuja Metropolitan See, His Eminence, John Cardinal Onaiyekan, maintained Saturday that Nigerians had lost confidence in President Muhammadu Buhari and his administration. Onaiyekan said there was no indication that the Buhari government was serious about governance, and upholding the principal objective of government, which is the protection of life and property.
In a no holds barred encounter, Onaiyekan told ThisDay in Abuja that Buhari’s constitutional commitment to protection of life and property was no longer tenable and achievable given the degeneration of the country.
Onaiyekan’s position followed similar views by the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN), which had called on the president to “save Nigeria from avoidable doom or step aside.”
Following the killing of two Catholic priests and 17 worshippers in Benue State, the bishops had called on Buhari to consider resignation due to the rampant killings across the country.
Speaking to the newspaper, Onaiyekan said, “I was only repeating what we (bishops) said some two months ago when we were in Rome, when two priests and their worshippers were killed. By the time they began to attack people at worship, we thought that it was carrying it too far.
“When we talk about confidence in the government, we believe that there is no excuse for any government not to be able to deal with the issues that we have in our hands, namely, that a group of murderers should not be able to go around killing people with impunity.
“So, we are not saying that Buhari is the one who sent them, we are not saying that he is supporting them. But we are certainly saying he is not doing enough. And when not doing enough on the part of the government translated into inability to defend and protect life, human life, which is the primary, first duty of government, the conclusion is obvious, that you cannot do the work.
“When we say we have lost confidence, it is like saying, well, we wouldn’t like to believe that he can do it and he is refusing to do it. Because if we arrive at that conclusion that Buhari could have stopped all these and he is refusing to do it, it means that he is responsible for it, like some people are saying.”
The cardinal added, “The bishops’ conference didn’t go that far. We are not saying that he is responsible; all we are saying is that you are not God, you cannot do everything, even a president has a limit to his power.
“But when a president reaches a stage where he cannot guarantee lives and property, he doesn’t expect us to have confidence in him. If we cannot rely on government to protect us, who are we to rely on? Are we to follow those who said everybody should go and armed himself?”
The Archbishop contended, “We could not accept the situation where people are being killed and we are asking them to be patient, we are telling them to pray, leave it to God. No, that’s not how to run the affairs of a nation.”
On the fears that government apparatus may be used to rig the 2019 elections and thwart the people’s will, Onaiyekan warned that no form of rigging by the incumbent government will be tolerated in 2019 general elections. He stressed that those planning to rig the elections should not be fooled by the fact that those who rigged previous elections were allowed to go free.
The Catholic clergy said, “The only fear I have is if anybody arrives at the decision to use state power to frustrate the wishes of the people in terms of that election, he is likely to create confusion, many Nigerians will not take it lightly
“My feeling is that Nigerians have reached a stage now, where blatant rigging of elections will not be tolerated, and it is not a bad thing.”
On whether the CBCN will mandate its members not to vote for Buhari considering the bishops’ loss of confidence in his administration, Onaiyekan said, “This president has only indicated interest to seek a second term. Eventually, if his party chooses him, then, we will be faced with a situation of what advice we want to give to our members, who want to follow our advice in this matter.
“Normally, we do not advise our members to vote one way or the other. But when it comes to whether somebody is able to protect lives and property and somebody has proved it, that he cannot, of course, when the time comes, we will remind our people.”
Anonymous
July 15, 2018 at 7:25 pm
Buhari has nothing to offer this country.
Anonymous
July 15, 2018 at 4:19 pm
when nnamdi kanu was warning Christain about Buhari dictatorship terrorist government you people where making mockery of him now what is happening today
Anonymous
July 15, 2018 at 3:18 pm
“…God told me expressly that APC is finished in Nigeria and you will see how God will disgrace them in Ekiti. They will lose heavily…”
~Apostle Suleiman, May 2018.
#EkitiDecides2018
Anonymous
July 15, 2018 at 4:25 pm
Are you sure of ur statement?
Anonymous
July 15, 2018 at 9:11 pm
everyone knows that ekiti election was manipulated
Anonymous
July 15, 2018 at 3:00 pm
Business man
Anonymous
July 15, 2018 at 4:27 pm
Lunatic everywhere. which one is business man?
Anonymous
July 15, 2018 at 2:32 pm
Lunatics in the garb of religion, claiming to be men of God. No more huge tithes from criminals because BUHARI has blocked the treasury looters. So for this, they must keep drumming and fanning the embers of hatred and war. Bad luck for them.
Anonymous
July 15, 2018 at 2:28 pm
From the history book. Igbo youths know your history, you are not cowards, reject money for votes and take your place as nation builders
Biafra became the first black nation to successfully hijack a Plane .At the height of Nigeria-Biafra civil war, it took the lion hearts of three Biafran youths, Mark Odu,Sam Inyagha and Onuora Nwanya to hijack a Nigeria Airways F-27 plane, piloted by the duo of P. Singh and Tokunbo Williams on April 23, 1967. The flight originally bound for Lagos from Benin, was diverted to Enugu. That became Biafra’s first aircraft.
A young Biafran youth in his 20’s from Umuoji in Anambra state named Corporal Nwafor made history on June 30, 1968. Federal troops were advancing to Onitsha from Enugu, shelling and firing from tanks. At Ugwu Nwasike, Ogidi, about 20 kilometres to Onitsha the overwhelmed Biafrans were almost giving up when Nwafor hit target. He fired the only anti tank weapon available to the entire brigade, a 73mm bazooka and it hit an advancing saladine. A second tank which tried to engage reverse gear fell into a ditch. The Biafrans tried to retrieve the tanks in a bloody fight that ensued. In the process, Nwafor, lost his life. Biafra gained the weapons of mass destruction. The saladine was named Corporal Nwafor and it became Biafra’s first armoured tank.
In July 1969 at Ohubua on the way to recapture Port-Harcourt in a battle between Biafran forces against Federal 3rd Marine commandos commanded by Olusegun Obasanjo. Three 16 years old Biafran school boys used Corporal Nwafor Tank to bomb Olusegun Obasanjo back to University Teaching Hospital Ibadan where he was treated for multiple injuries. Their names were Sasa Nwoke from Ohafia, Sylvester Etta from Obubura and a certain half-caste whose mother was from England named Daniel Lawrence from Ikom. They were all 16 years of age and ran away from school to defend Biafra
Then fast-forward to 2018, when I see Igbo youths begging politicians for 2000 naira to smoke cigarettes and I remember Corporal Nwafor, Sasa Nwoke, Sylvester Etta, Daniel Lawrence, mark Odu, Sam inyagha, onuora nyanya and that brave youth from Sweden that set himself on fire in far away Europe in protest against the killing of Biafran people, I get highly disappointed. This is not who we are. We are children of Lions
Have these youths sacrificed their lives in vain. God forbid!
Igbo youths wake up. Reject money politics that destroys your future. The labors of our heroes past must never be in vain. Amen.
Credit: Osita Chidoka
Anonymous
July 15, 2018 at 2:03 pm
But a state in your ethnic enclave has just put their confidence in the same Buhari by voting for his party.
Anonymous
July 15, 2018 at 6:54 pm
The result has been rejected because the election was characterised by frauds
Anonymous
July 15, 2018 at 1:58 pm
Pmb led confused govt is enemy of Nigeria unity and democracy
Anonymous
July 15, 2018 at 1:56 pm
It’s a lie, you’re part of the thieves he settled
Anonymous
July 15, 2018 at 1:00 pm
But with 4000 each , he can buy the confidence of the poor , lazy Yorubas back. So sad
Anonymous
July 15, 2018 at 1:52 pm
Could this be true I don’t believe it, it can’t happen
Anonymous
July 15, 2018 at 1:57 pm
My brother that thing still dey shock me
Anonymous
July 15, 2018 at 11:06 am
The bible said we should pray for our leaders
Anonymous
July 15, 2018 at 1:50 pm
Point of correction good leaders not bad ones
Anonymous
July 15, 2018 at 1:54 pm
Can u pls stop being stupid!christianity isn’t madness.d same bible also said that,when a good and upright man is on d throne,d people rejoice but when a bad and wicked man rule,d people cry just like Nigerian are crying now.
Anonymous
July 15, 2018 at 4:05 pm
Ifeanyi Orji AND Paul Umunna, GOD WILL BLESS YOU FOR THOSE GOOD REPLIES.
Anonymous
July 15, 2018 at 4:50 pm
do your leaders obey the Bible?
Anonymous
July 15, 2018 at 4:53 pm
The only prayer point Israel prayed in Egypt to be free from Pharaoh’s wicked rule was, “let my people go” ok?