5 ways ex minister went in hard on President Buhari
Former minister Oby Ezekwesili has asked President Buhari to lead everyone and preen self of sectionalism.
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Her comments followed renewed Biafra agitations and skirmishes between soldiers and members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) in the Southeast region of Nigeria.
Buhari has often been labelled sectional and clannish by a host of critics; even more so after he made that infamous 97 percent Vs 5 percent comments in the wake of his electoral success.
Buhari received just a handful of votes in the Southeast and South-South regions to become president.
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In the early days of his presidency, some swore his appointments favoured the north which handed him more votes and where he hails from.
Well, Oby has added her voice to those allegations against the nation’s number one citizen.
She pulled no punches in the following comments:
1. Oby says Buhari is friends with only people he likes.
According to the former Vice President of the World Bank for Africa, Buhari is only comfortable associating with persons he fancies.
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“I once asked a leader: how are you friends with all sorts of people? He answered: Because I must be leader of the good, the bad and the ugly.
“The leader of a country cannot be friends only of those he/she likes. No. That is not leadership. The leader builds up groups, not divide”.
2. Oby says Buhari dislikes certain ethnic groups in Nigeria and loves those who kiss his feet.
“You cannot lead only those that worship and swear by you. You are the leader. You must carry the burden even of those that detest you", she says.
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“It is the lowliest form of churlishness that is unbecoming of a leader to send signals that you dislike any one of the groups you lead”.
3. Real leaders build bonds, Oby lectures.
“A leader is a winner. When a winner acts like a loser, things go wrong in their kingdom. Real leaders build a bond with all their people.
“Worst is when a leader makes enemies of most because he abhors the actions of one or a few. That is not leadership! That is ethnic prejudice.
“A real leader does not suffer from the destructive of ethnic prejudice. It endangers his/her people and real leaders cannot bear such”.
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Well, a leadership masterclass?
4. Hold on…there’s more.
Oby says Buhari’s actions or inactions have become a tragedy.
“It is tragic that you, our President Muhammdu Buhari have deliberately or inadvertently alienated a segment of the people you lead. It is tragic".
5. Oby says Buhari must take the moral high ground and lead ALL Nigerians, not just a few.
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“None of you can claim greater Nigerianness than some of us”, Oby says. “I am Nigerian and will always be. Leadership must be for all. At all times.
“There are ways that a leader ascends the moral high ground and leads a conversation on unity. Done well, the mischievous lose their hold.
“President Buhari, it is not yet too late for you to ascend that moral high ground and bond with all your people—East, West, North, South.
“At a time when the words spoken and written across the East-West-North-South of our country are hardening, you, leader Buhari, must arise!"
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