Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, spokesman of the Northern Elders Forum (NEF), says the north has paid the biggest price for the “failure” of President Muhammadu Buhari.
Speaking on Wednesday at the second annual Ripples Centre for Data and Investigative Journalism (RCDIJ) dialogue in Lagos, Baba-Ahmed said the country might get worse than it is because there is nothing to show in the present administration that things would change for the better before 2023.
He added that it is possible to have the country restructured if Nigerians elect into office a president that can do such in 2023.
“The north has paid the biggest price for the failure of President Buhari and nobody should attribute Buhari’s failure to northerners,” Baba-Ahmed said.
“The people in the northern parts of the country has the wrong person in office, because they are the first victims of the mis-governance of President Buhari.”
Also speaking at the event, Ifeanyi Okowa, governor of Delta and chairman of the occasion, said Nigeria has never been divided or witnessed such magnitude of mistrust as it is presently.
“Nigeria is better and stronger together, and with appropriate, visionary leadership and good governance. We can turn our diversity into a great source of strength and a springboard to build a strong multi-ethnic and multi-religious country that will be the envy of other nations,” Okowa said.
“As 2023 approaches, leadership is key and the focus should be on electing a pan Nigerian as President; a person with the capacity and charisma to cast a vision for Nigeria and rally all Nigerians behind it.
“We need a selfless, sacrificial, sincere, broadminded, caring and capable President that will inspire hope and confidence in the country.”
Also at the event were Ayo Adebanjo, leader of Afenifere, a Yoruba socio-political group, and Uche Onyeagocha, former member of the house of representatives.
