2015: Ex-Coupists Lack Moral Right To Complain Of Rigging –Sheikh Gumi Kaduna-based Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmed Abubakar Gumi yesterday lambasted all retired military men in the country who had at one time or the other terminated civilian regimes, saying that such men in politics have no moral justification to complain of rigging in 2015 general elections. Sheikh Gumi who is a retired Major in the Nigerian Army pointed out that if the military had not interrupted civil rule in the past, the nation would have been far better off by now, stressing that those who brushed aside the nation’s constitution have turned around to use it. The Islamic cleric who stated this when members of Kaduna State chapter of Ohanaeze Ndigbo held a consultative meeting with him over fears of violence in 2015 elections, added that most Nigerian leaders had been over recycled to a point that they should give way to younger crops of the citizenry. Earlier in his speech at Gumi’s residence, the president, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Kaduna, Mr. Austin Amaechi acknowledged personal role of Sheik Gumi in ensuring that there is peace during and after 2015 elections. “Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Kaduna State chapter is here to extend appreciation to our respected and honoured Sheikh for his interest in ensuring that there is peace in 2015. We want 2015 to be a year of peace, consolidation of democracy and economic prosperity for Nigerians. “We are aware of his advice to politicians to play by the rule. We applaud this because politicians who lost election may inspire violence. We call on community leaders, religious leaders and indeed leaders at all levels to play a role in educating the youths to shun violence”. However, Sheikh Gumi maintained, “No any military man has moral ground to complain of election rigging in 2015 because if the military had allowed democracy to grow, this country would have developed better than this. The military keep going into our democracy because of corruption, but if you look back, history is repeating itself because it is the same military that put aside our constitution that wants to use the same constitution. “We are having difficult time in Nigeria, but things will be better because it is better to be patience for four years than to be lamenting for 40 years, Nigeria is going through developmental stages. “I want to say that Nigeria should bring complete new leaders who have not served this country before because we keep on recycling old leaders who don’t have the interest of the country at heart, but their personal interest. “I also want to tell Nigerians that they should not see the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and All Progressives Congress (APC) as opposing religious party, but purely political parties which are doing things the way they like, either personal or political. “The political awareness of 2011 is different from the awareness of 2015, and by the next 20 years, every Nigerian will be fully aware of his political rights to the extent that nobody can cheat another person on the issue of elections in the country. “We should not allow politicians to use religion to divide us, we should be relating together because our security is that if our neighbour is safe, we are also safe”. --LEADERSHIP NEWS
Posted on: Tue, 23 Dec 2014 05:36:06 +0000