The Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere, has said some Nigerians hurt by President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration are no longer alive.
In a statement, Afenifere’s National Publicity Secretary, Jare Ajayi, said Nigerians may be disposed to forgive Buhari if he effects changes to alleviate suffering in the country before he transfers power to the President-Elect, Bola Tinubu on May 29.
Last Friday, President Buhari asked Nigerians to forgive him for any way he has hurt them.
But Afenifere said it would have been much better if the President had listened to pleas made to him over the years regarding “the unfriendly, if not retrogressive, steps his administration had been taken.”
“Without deceiving ourselves, the Nigerian government under the outgoing President Muhammadu Buhari certainly ‘hurt’ a lot of people (to use his own word). Some of them are even no longer alive. Some who are alive have wounds that can hardly ever heal. Both physical and psycho-social wounds,” the statement read.
“Because the Almighty created many humans to have large hearts, many whom the President had hurt may forgive him. That is for those who are alive.
“But then, what about thousands who have died as a result of avoidable acts that can easily be traced to the government such as non-provision of security and welfare as clearly enshrined in the Constitution?”
Afenifere said many people might be inclined to forgive the President if, within the remaining 34 days he has left in office, he could effect “dramatic changes” in policies that are making life difficult for Nigerians.
While advising Buhari to take decisive action that will permanently halt insecurity in the country and ensure immediate payment of the eight-month salaries of university lecturers, the group said efforts should be made to ensure that those in IDP camps are resettled in their ancestral homes, and that “the stranglehold on the economy”, especially through unfriendly fiscal policies, be relaxed so that economic activities can quickly bounce back.
Afenifere said these measures can be successfully implemented before May 29 “if President Buhari and his team really desire to do them”.