- Nigeria will be better under me, says Buhari
Bishop Kukah added that even the North where Buhari hails from would not fare better under his presidency.
The clergyman stated his yesterday in Sokoto when he briefed journalists ahead of the 50th anniversary of the Sokoto Diocese holding tomorrow.
Kukah allayed fears over the conduct of the 2015 general elections and the possibility of the country breaking up, saying that the polls would come and go like others before it with the country emerging stronger.
According to him, he had not seen any reason why Nigeria would breakup next year, stressing that the country would remain intact despite the fears being nursed by several citizens.
The cleric emphasised that God had not spoken to anybody about the future of Nigeria and that the desired change could only be attained if Nigerians decide to change their attitude.
He said: “God has not spoken to anybody about the future of Nigeria. Today is the tomorrow you dreamt about and if we want 2015 election to be successful, it will start from today. So, I see no reason why Nigeria will just breakup.”
Kukah urged Nigerians not to listen to those who do not wish the country well, saying Nigeria would forever remain united. He remarked that unless we start seeing ourselves as citizens of this country as opposed to Muslims and Christians, this country would not have lasting peace.
He appealed to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to be responsive by ensuring that no Nigerian was disenfranchised during the 2015 elections.
He said that part of the activities lined up for the 50th anniversary includes a football match among the four chapters of the diocese in Katsina, Sokoto, Zamfara and Kebbi states.
Nigeria will be better under my watch
But Buhari has urged Nigerians not allow the challenges confronting the nation to lead them into despair because the country would be better under his presidency.
The former head of state told some youths who came to celebrate with him on his 72nd birthday in Abuja yesterday, that the problems of Nigeria which have lasted for years were self-inflicted and could be addressed with the right leadership and the right attitude to governance.
He said: “Dreams for a better Nigeria might have been temporarily halted, but our resolve has never wavered. We must get our acts together and salvage our country. It will be criminal to waste the exciting potential I see in you. What is at stake is the future of Nigeria. The struggle is for the millions of Nigerians who have been driven from their homes by terrorists. It is about the tens of millions of Nigerians who have no jobs, no sense of security and no hope for a better future. It is about putting Nigeria first.
“The need for change is imperative. The future of Nigeria is about your future. The big question is: Do we have the courage to vote for change? Are you ready to join me in securing our country and our future? Let me begin by expressing my profound gratitude to God, who has given me long life and good health and for sustaining my passion and commitment to continue to serve our dear country, Nigeria.
“Usually, reaching another milestone in life is a cause for celebration. And while I appreciate the opportunity to engage with young people who are the future leaders of our country, I cannot pretend to be as happy as I ought to be. Nevertheless, we shall not allow the challenges confronting Nigeria to lead us to despair. I have never wavered from my desire to contribute to a better Nigeria, even in the face of the most daunting challenges. The true mark of character is for one to believe in a good cause, and to have the courage and conviction to fight for that good cause regardless of all obstacles and challenges,” he said.
Buhari has nothing to offer Nigeria
Meanwhile, the Presidency has asserted that Buhari has nothing to offer the country because even the several speeches he had made since he began his campaign have been empty.
It also alleged that the difficulty Gen. Buhari had in picking his running mate was an indication that he would be taking instructions from one man in Lagos to run the country should he become president.
These views were expressed yesterday by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Affairs, Dr. Doyin Okupe, at the Media Presentation of President Goodluck Jonathan’s Candidacy in Lagos, yesterday.
He said the President Goodluck Jonathan was living up to his promises and required the support of all Nigerians to continue with his good works.
According to Okupe, though the President was developing every sector of the economy, some Nigerians have resolved to criticise his administration without any basis.
On Buhari, Okupe said: “I have read his speeches everywhere and he has said nothing new. His speeches are empty because if the mind is empty, the mouth will be empty.”
The presidential aide said Buhari’s candidacy is an attempt to return Nigeria to the trenches, adding that, “if Boko Haram attacks under a Buhari President, he will be calling Lagos for directive. Is that the President you want? It is either ‘Goodluck or bad luck.”
Stressing that there has been significant improvement in the country under Jonathan’s era, Okupe said: “Let me tell you something about the power sector. From 1960-2007, all Nigeria was able to generate was 2,700 megawatts of electricity. In four years of President Jonathan, it has increased to 4,800 megawatts.
He explained that the nation was yet to benefit fully from the reforms in the power sector because the new owners after the unbundling of the Power Holding Company, PHCN met obsolete equipment. According to him, the power sector was last equipped under the Shehu Shagari administration.
On the criticisms trailing his comparison of President Jonathan with Jesus Christ, Okupe said: “I am a Christian, and in Christendom, they tell us to be like Christ. I cannot blaspheme with the name of God. There is no offence to compare oneself with Jesus Christ as our model.”
He warned the opposition not to use insurgency as basis for campaign for 2015, saying the government was winning the war. He added that as sophisticated as America is, it took her 10 years to track Osama bin Laden.
He explained that the issue has lingered because the military was not trained on fighting insurgency but assured that adequate training was being given to the personnel to combat the situation now.
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