Buhari Raises Alarm on Dangers of Impunity in Polity

Posted by African Examiner Latest Headlines, News, Politics Monday, July 21st, 2014

Former Military Head of State and Chieftain of All Progressive Congress (APC), General Muhammadu Buhari has urged President Goodluck Jonathan to apply brakes on his administration’s impunity in the interest of country’s survival and nurturing of its democracy.

General Buhari made the call in a statement issued in Kaduna Sunday and made available to African Examiner.

Referring to the impeachment of former Adamawa State Governor Muritala Nayako and other similar threat on other APC Governors, General Buhari said the present development did not augur well for the survival of a fragile nation like Nigeria or the survival of its “tenderfoot democracy”.

The unfolding situation in the polity the former Presidential candidate of defunct CPC stated were unpleasant distraction to the fight against the Boko Haram insurgents attacks, which has plunged the country into devastating crises.

”Whether or not President Goodluck Jonathan is behind the gale of impeachment or the utilization of desperate tactics to suffocate the opposition and turn Nigeria into a one-party state, what cannot be denied is that they are happening under his watch, and he cannot pretend not to know, since that will be akin to hiding behind one finger.

”In my capacity as an elder statesman, rather than a politician, I have spoken to President Jonathan in private over these issues, but indications are that the strategy has not yielded positive fruits. I cannot, just because I am an opposition politician, fail to do what is expected of me as an elder statesman to help rescue our nation in times of great trouble and palpable uncertainty” Buhari revealed in the statement.

He maintained ”I can say, in all sincerity, that I have seen it all, as an ordinary citizen, a military officer, a head of state, a man who has occupied many other sensitive posts and a politician. I have been a close participant and witness to Nigeria’s political history.

”Our country has gone through several rough patches, but never before have I seen a Nigerian President declares war on his own country as we are seeing now. Never before have I seen a Nigerian President deploys Federal institutions in the service of partisanship as we are witnessing now…Our nation has

suffered serious consequences in the past for egregious acts that are not even close to what we are seeing now. It is time to pull the brakes,” General Buhari warned.

The former Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF) boss, advised President Jonathan to tarry a while, take a deep breath and ponder on the impact of recent events in the polity, cautioning that subverting the constitution would result to anarchy and lead the country to the “slippery slope to perdition”.

Citing former Governor Nyako of Adamawa and impeachment threat on his Nasarawa counterpart, Umaru Tanko Al – Makura the APC leader warned that the people’s protest in Nasarawa last week was a sign of what to come if the federal authorities continue to target opposition state Governors for impeachment, insisting that no democracy thrives without a virile opposition.

The General called on Nigerians irrespective tribal, religion or political affiliation to avoid actions capable of thwarting the survival of the country or truncate her peaceful co-existence. “It is time for all concerned to spare a thought for the ordinary citizens who have yet to see their hopes, dreams and aspirations come to reality, within the general context of nationhood,” he advised.