Buhari missed opportunity to unite Nigeria in his independence speech, says Fasheun

Founder of the Oodua People’s Congress (OPC), Dr Federick Fasheun has described Nigeria’s 57th anniversary independence day speech by President Muhammedu Buhari as nonsense, empty and a diversion from current realities in the country.

Fasheun who was reacting to the Independence day speech by the President, in an interview with The Daily Times, noted that the President wasted an opportunity to unite the nation, bring peace and raise issues for national discourse among Nigerians.

The OPC leader added that Nigerians did not deserve the hard words from the President considering how they wholeheartedly prayed for his fast recovery, while he was in London for medical treatment.

He noted that the clamour for restructuring among prominent Nigerians and the different ethnic groups in the country, had proven that it has become inevitable, while stressing that it was unfair for the President to support the Northern part of the country against other regions on the issue.

Speaking further, Fasheun advised President Buhari to learn and speak like a leader, adding that several speeches made by the President did not portray him as the father of the nation.

On Nigeria’s 57th anniversary, he expressed dismay on the State of the country, stressing that Nigeria had lagged behind its contemporaries because of poor leadership and present structure of the country.

He said “I did not expect the President to make such speech, it is nonsense. That was an opportunity for him to unite the nation and make peace.

As a father of the nation, you should not talk anyhow; unfortunately Buhari has not seen himself as the father of Nigeria.

“Nigeria doesn’t deserve this hard speech from him, considering how they wholeheartedly prayed for his fast recovery and look how he is thanking them.

I would have preferred him to say ok, we would look into the issues of restructuring, but he chose to take sides with the North.

“By now at 57 we should be at the same level with Israel and trying to catch up and with America. But Nigerians know that where we are now is not where we should be.

“That is why Nigerians, even prominent Nigerians, like one of the best political brain we have, Ezeife have said restructuring, even Utomi and Soyinka, have said restructuring is the way forward, is Buhari saying he is better than these people and can’t listen to them?” Fasheun said.