Former Governor Abdulaziz Yari of Zamfara state has slammed ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo over his recent open letter to President Muhammadu Buhari.
Obasanjo on Monday released a letter to Buhari, warning him take issues of national security and unity more seriously. He accused the president of negligence and not rising to the current challenges facing the country.
But Yari in a statement by his media aide, Ibrahim Dosara, yesterday, tongue-lashed Obasanjo and some unnamed Yoruba leaders for their recent criticism of Buhari’s handling of security issues.
The former governor who was also the former chairman of the Nigerian Governors Forum accused Obasanjo of using the opportunity to pour encapsulated anger on Buhari, saying the former president has no better records.
His words: “It was on record that President Olusegun Obasanjo superintended the massacres in Zaki Biam in Benue State and Odi in Bayelsa state. The murderous Sharia riots of Kaduna occurred during his tenure. It was also during his regime that the seed of carnage on the Plateau was planted. He seems to have forgotten all these ‘remarkable’ feats he recorded as president. This is apart from the high profile assassinations of a serving minister, Bola Ige, and opposition stalwart Harry Marshall.”
He said though it was “justifiable” to express outrage over the murder of Mrs Funke Olakunrin, daughter of Afenifere leader, Reuben Fasoranti, he condemned “the sensationalisation of the murder by the media, which quickly labeled the criminals as Fulani herdsmen”.
Mr Yari lamented that “prominent Yoruba political leaders used the opportunity to make some divisive comments and called for the dismemberment of Nigeria over the murder of the lady.” He said Nigeria was not the only country to experience security challenges, adding that the problem would not be solved through passing blames.
“My keen observation of recent political development across the country is pointing to a series of needless efforts by some elements across the country aimed at destroying our rich diversity and heritage for obvious political reasons.
“These efforts are targeted at reducing the country into the feckless North-South divide, first-class/second-class citizens, or Muslim/Christian dichotomy. This is indeed worrisome and pointless at this time of Nigeria’s history and stage of development,” the former governor noted.
He, however, called on political leaders to eschew bitterness. “It is high time for all political leaders to eschew bitterness and avoid using our fellow citizens as guinea pigs in our ambitious political laboratories.”