Buhari A Sectional Leader, World Bank President’s Revelation Not Surprising – Fayose

Ekiti State Governor, Mr. Ayodele Fayose has
said that he was not surprised by the
comment from the President of the World
Bank Group, Jim Yong Kim that President
Muhammadu Buhari directed specifically that
the World Bank should shift its focus to the northern region of Nigeria, maintaining that
“the President has never hidden the fact
that he is a sectional leader and painfully,
because of his nepotism, religious bigotry
and favouritism, Nigeria is now more divided
than ever before, with the unity of the country being threatened.”

The governor, who spoke through his Special
Assistant on Public Communications and New
Media, Lere Olayinka, asked; “Is the
comment from the World Bank President
different from the 97 percent/5 percent
formula of President Buhari?”

He said; “When a President open his mouth
and say that constituencies that gave him
97% votes cannot in all honesty be treated,
on some issues, with constituencies that gave
him 5% votes, lovers of unity in the country
should have raised the alarm and alerted the world of the danger of having a nepotistic
president, and I warned then but other
Nigerians that should have raised their voice,
kept mute.” President of the World Bank Group
reportedly said, “You know, in my very
first meeting with President Buhari, he said
specifically that he would like us to shift our
focus to the northern region of Nigeria and
we’ve done that. Now, it has been very difficult. The work there has been very
difficult.” Governor Fayose, in his reaction said; “Once
again, the fact that President Mohammadu
Buhari is an ethnic champion, a religious bigot
and the number one promoter of disunity in
Nigeria was brought to the fore by the
President of the World Bank Group, Jim Yong Kim. “Nigerians should be reminded that on
August 15, 2015, less than three months in
Buhari’s government, I raised the alarm
that he (Buhari) was operating as a president
of the Northern Nigeria only. Then, I
described steps taken by the president since May 29, 2015 as tainted in ethnic and tribal
colouration and inimical to the unity of
Nigeria. “I also descried President Buhari’s
Nothernisation of Nigeria and said that the
appointments made by the President negated
the principle of federal character. Then, we
were told that the President made the
appointments on merit and I asked whether there were no competent people in the All
Progressives Congress (APC) in the Southern
part of Nigeria. “Now, with the President of the World Bank
Group, Jim Yong Kim, telling the world that
President Buhari gave specific instruction that
the bank should shift its developmental
efforts to the North, is anyone still in doubt
as to the fact that President Buhari does not see himself as the President of the entire
country, Nigeria?” While reminding Nigerians of his earlier
warnings that Buhari was a sectional leader,
Governor Fayose said; “Those politicians,
who painted the picture of a changed
President Buhari to Nigerians before the 2015
presidential election, should remember that I warned that he (Buhari) can never change
from an ethnic champion to a nationalist. “As a Military Head of State, Buhari
cancelled the Lagos Metroline Project at a loss
of over $78 million (then) to the Lagos tax
payers. For terminating the contract, $500
million, which was almost enough to
complete the project, was paid as fine to the foreign company handling the project. “Would Buhari have stopped that project
that would have resolved the transportation
nightmare Lagosians are facing today, if it
were to be in Kano? “When Fulani herdsmen were killing
Nigerians in the South and North-Central
states of Benue and Plateau, President Buhari,
who is the Patron of Miyetti Allah Cattle
Breaders Association simply kept mute. Not
even the killing of over 1,000 Agatus in Benue State got the attention of the President. “The same President Buhari, who led a
delegation of Arewa leaders to Ibadan on
October 13, 2000, to confront the then
Governor of Oyo State, Late Alhaji Lam
Adesina over alleged killing of Fulani
Herdsmen in Saki, Oke Ogun Area of the state, has never raised his voice against the
killings, raping and destruction of farmlands
by Fulani herdsmen.” Describing President Buhari as the number
one threat to the unity of Nigeria, the
governor said; “Painfully, because of
President Buhari’s nepotism, religious
bigotry and favouritism Nigeria is now more
divided than ever before, with the unity of the country being threatened. “The father figure of this country is
President Buhari and if his language does not
represent unity, there will be agitations like
we are witnessing now. “I therefore reiterate my commitment to
the call for full and total restructuring of
Nigeria through dialogue and negotiation. “It is my position that for Nigeria to move
forward and in unity; there must be no
sectionalism, there must be no oppression
and there must be justice and equity. All
these cannot be guaranteed by President
Buhari as he has continually demonstrated that he is a President for the Northern part of
Nigeria only.” The governor promised to rule Nigeria with
fairness when he becomes President, saying;
“Unlike President Buhari, I am a complete
detribalized Nigerian, who treats all the
people of Nigeria equally, not minding tribe
and religion. Therefore, my presidency will resolve all issues threatening the unity of
Nigeria.”