The Middle Belt Forum has described the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari’s (retd.), recent remark on relocating to Niger Republic after the May 29 handing-over as an indication that he was not committed to Nigeria.
The president was recently quoted to have said that he “can’t wait to go home to Daura” and “if they make any noise to disturb me in Daura, I will leave for the Niger Republic.”
The comment, which was made during a Sallah homage to Buhari by some Federal Capital Territory residents led by the Minister of the FCT, Mohammed Bello, has sparked a flurry of reactions from Nigerians.
The President’s comment has been interpreted by many as evidence of the President’s disinterest in the country’s current state of insecurity, economic decline, and widespread corruption.
The News Agency of Nigeria reported that MBF described as unfortunate Buhari’s recent statement, adding that it showed the President had never been committed to Nigeria in the first place.
The National President of the MBF, Dr Bitrus Pogu said, “Yes he has to retire after May 29 because it is a constitutional provision that after his tenure he has to leave office for a new president to come in. But to say that if things become unpleasant he would move to Niger Republic is unfortunate. That is to say that he had never been committed to Nigeria in the first place.
“A Nigerian president, who has served this country, should be here to die with Nigeria and Nigerians if he believed in Nigeria when he was president.
“So for him to make that statement it may just mean that he didn’t believe in Nigeria in the first place. And it is unfortunate for him to have made that statement.
“We pray that we will have a President who believes in Nigeria, who will die with Nigeria and who will die for Nigeria. Not somebody who if he finds things tough will run away from Nigeria to a safer heaven.
“So it is an unfortunate statement, I don’t know why he made that statement and I don’t know how his thoughts go but a person who believes in his country wouldn’t make such a statement because this is the only country that made him President and he should never back out whether he is serving or not; he should never back out from his country and her problems.”
