The Northern Elders’ Forum (NEF) has described as ‘unpresidential,’ the remarks by President Muhammadu Buhari that, if Nigerians disturbs him after leaving office on May 29, the people of Niger and other neighbouring countries would defend.
The Forum also said the statement is not only a bad attempt at being sarcastic to wave away the national discontent to his serial misrule, but a vindication of its earlier warnings about his (Buhari’s) leadership.
The NEF’s Director of Youth and Mobilisation, Alhaji Nastura Sharif, expressed the group’s disappointment with the current state of affairs in Nigeria.
He stressed that the President’s recent remark is a clear indication of his lack of empathy for the Nigerian people.
“This remark by Buhari is apart from being ‘unpresidential’ also a vindication of what we have all along been pointing out.
“Long before the elections that brought him to power, we have on several occasions alerted that Buhari did not have the necessary skill, the competence and capacity to lead the country.
“We have in specific terms alerted that he never even had the political will to be Nigerian president except for his obsession with power and deep seated vendetta against classes of people and individuals who he perceived as enemies.
“That’s now history, at least everyone is by now aware that Buhari has never had the interest of the nation at heart beyond showmanship.
“In just eight years the man has acquired the reputation of leading the worst administration in Nigeria’s history, leaving us all poorer, divided and dangerously indebted.
“Now this statement is only a bad attempt at being sarcastic to wave away the national discontent to his serial misrule. As far as we’re concerned, Buhari can retire to the moon or the high heavens. That would be good riddance as no one would want to remember him and his eight wasted tenure.
“The statement also confirmed our long-held view that Buhari is simply a liability in Leadership since he lacks the capacity and tolerance for to take criticism and advice.
“You can see by this utterance that he is at par with past Nigerian leaders such as Obasanjo, IBB and others who withstood severe criticisms in and out of office but are still relevant and contributing to nation building efforts,” he said.