A group, the National Committee of Yoruba Youth, has issued a warning to those, it says are politicising the illness of President Muhammadu Buhari and the return of 82 Chibok schoolgirls who were, over the weekend, presented to the Nigerian public by the federal government.
In a statement, e-mailed to The Trent, the little-known group attempted to celebrate achievements of the Buhari administration while endorsing the chief of army staff, Tukur Buratai, who has been indicted by local and international human rights organisation for the genocide of more than a 1,000 unarmed Shi’ites and 150 Biafra activists under the command of the ailing former military dictator.
According to statement which was not signed by any person, the group said that those politicising the sickness of the president and the return of the 82 Chibok girls were threatening the unity of Nigeria.
On Sunday, President Buhari left Nigeria on an indefinite medical leave failing to name Vice President Yemi Osinbajo as acting president in his letter to the National Assembly. Confusion and anger trails this decision believed to be the handiwork of the Aso Rock cabal.
Read the full text of what the group said was a press conference held in Ibadan, Oyo State on Wednesday, May 10, 2017.
BEING THE TEXT OF A PRESS CONFERENCE ADDRESSED BY THE NATIONAL COMMITTEE OF YORUBA YOUTH (NCYY) AND THE COALITION OF CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANISATIONS AGAINST TERRORISM, HELD IN IBADAN ON WEDNESDAY 10TH MAY 2017.
The Insidious politicization of President Muhammadu Buhari’s Health and the release of 82 of the abducted Chibok Girls.
The National Committee of Yoruba Youth is the Apex organization of Yoruba Youth groups, spread across the six states of the Southwest and other Yoruba speaking parts of the country, while the Coalition of Civil Society Organisations against Terrorism, is an amalgamation of 45 Groups, which have been at the vanguard of advocacy, against insurgency, terrorism, and any threat to our corporate existence as a Nation.
The essence of this media briefing, is to urgently address and arrest, a growing concern that could undermine, the unity and sovereignty of this great nation. We are particularly worried, that the threat to our corporate existence, might not be from the now defeated Boko Haram insurgents, but the activities of tribal war leaders, ethnic jingoists, religious zealots and some overzealous self-acclaimed activists, who feel that they can play politics with the health of President Muhammadu Buhari.
The various inciting statements and attempts to stampede the President out of office, by these self-serving individuals is perhaps, the greatest danger to our democracy.
We find their obsession on media and social commentary on President Buhari’s Health, and the constant projection of his hitherto incapability, highly distasteful and diversionary. For the sake of emphasis, governance is ongoing in our country. The Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo is a competent man and key members of the cabinet, are proving to be highly resourceful. As a country, this government is saving, despite a fall in oil prices, this government is upgrading infrastructures at ten times, the rate we have at any time in the last eighteen years.
The Buhari administration is plugging all loopholes through the Treasury Single Account and the administration has shown enough courage and effort to tackle unbridled corruption and insurgency in our country. This is to once again, condemn all the unfounded rumour mongering on President Buhari’s health. Most of the speculations from this known ethnic champions and pseudo activists are rooted, in obsession for ethnic and religious based politics.
President has transmitted to the National Assembly, his desire to proceed on medical vacation, as demanded by our law. He can stay for as long as the need to fully recover is assured and he transmits a contrary declaration to the National Assembly, to the effect that He has now resumed duties. This action of President Buhari, has effectively blocked any vacuum, or lacuna, in the governance of the country.
82 CHIBOK GIRLS RESCUE
As a nation, we must appreciate, the determination, focus and compassion of President Buhari and the leadership of our security agencies, especially the Nigerian Army, ably led by Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai, which led to the recent release of the 82, of the abducted Chibok School girls. While we implore Nigerians, not to see the willingness of the government to negotiate and meet the terms that led to the exchange for the girls as a sign of weakness. Rather, it shows compassion on the part of the country’s leadership. Prisoner exchange is a known global practice by any nation, who values the lives of her citizens.
We must at this point, equally appreciate the role of the Swiss government and other international agencies, who have supported the Buhari’s administration to ensure that more of our Chibok girls are rescued.
Finally, we want to call on nigerians, to sustain their support towards the untiring effort of President Buhari’s administration, to salvage Nigeria, from the decadence of the past. While we also want to urge nigerians to pray for the quick recovery of President Buhari, our prayers also goes to the men and officers of our armed forces, particularly the Nigerian Army, who have shown uncommon courage, dedication and commitment, in protecting our corporate existence and our society as a nation.
