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Apologise to Jonathan, Rep Aminu Shagari tells Buhari
BY NICHOLAS ABE
Aminu Shagari, son of Nigeria’s Second Republic president, Alhaji Shehu Shagari, has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to apologise to his predecessor, former president Goodluck Jonathan and ask for forgiveness.
Shagari, a three-term member of the House of Representatives, advised President Buhari to apologise to Jonathan having found out that the things he accused the former president of were not entirely true.
The honourable member representing Yabo/Shagari Federal Constituency in Sokoto state, in an interview he granted to The Punch and published Sunday apologised to Jonathan for the role he played in bringing down his government in 2015.
“Let me use this opportunity to tender a public apology to former President Jonathan and seek forgiveness because I helped to divide the People’s Democratic Party and bring down his government. But I have found out that what we thought about his stewardship was not entirely true. I expect President Buhari to also ask for forgiveness having found out that most of the things he accused my dad’s and President Jonathan’s administrations of are not true,” Shagari, a lawyer, volunteered without prompt.
Aminu Shagari
Shagari aligned with former president Olusegun Obasanjo and other Nigerians who have expressed concern over Nigeria’s speedy descent into a failed state and how divisive the country had become under Buhari’s watch.
He said: “Their statements are very true. There is no aspect of this administration where traces of cluelessness, nepotism, deception and divisive tendencies are not glaring. We have never had it this bad in Nigeria. Things have degenerated from bad to worse.
“Nigeria, a blessed country with land flowing with milk and honey, has suddenly become the world’s capital of poverty. We are tilting towards becoming the most terrorised place in the world. The peace and unity we had been enjoying took flight before our very eyes. Tell me, what is worth celebrating in Nigeria today?”
READ: Jonathan at Aso Rock, commends Buhari on Itakpe-Warri railway
Notwithstanding this downward trend of events, Shagari, however, did not believe that disintegration of the component states or regions of the country, as being agitated by some sections, was a solution.
According to him, “I really don’t like or support those agitations you mentioned because such agitations will bring more harm than good to us as a nation. I am a firm believer in the unity and oneness of this country. Our collective agitation should be directed to getting a leadership we can trust, that will take us to the Promised Land. I sincerely don’t like all those divisive tendencies, only that they are symptoms of bad governance.
“On his 90th birthday, my father said we should continue to live in peace with one another, irrespective of our diverse ethnic and cultural differences. God has his reasons for putting us together as a nation and our differences should cement our unity. If we have good leadership, our differences will not be this visible.”
He disagreed with the notion that the northern elites were complicit with the maladministration by Buhari’s government since they failed to call the president and the government to account, saying such was misplaced.
“I totally disagree with you. How could you assume the North has been keeping quiet and not criticising or condemning incompetence, nepotism and others? Can you mention one aspect of this administration’s policies that has placed the North at an advantage over the South, which would warrant a conspiracy of silence among northerners?
“Haven’t you been hearing notable northerners like Professor Ango Abdullahi, Ghali Umar Na’aba, Alhaji Tanko Yakasai, Dr Aliyu Tilde, Najatu Bala, Dr Obadiah Mailafia, Theophilus Danjuma, Professor Usman Yusuf, Senator Sani Shehu, and a host of others condemning Buhari’s administration when and when necessary?” he queried.