‘Civil War’ Tweet: ‘Buhari Born Feudalist, Trained Dictator’ – Afenifere

Angry reactions have continued to trail President Muhammadu Buhari’s threat to clamp down on violent secession agitators the way Nigerian soldiers descended on Biafran secessionists during the 1967-1970 Biafra-Nigerian Civil War.

Buhari had made reference to the civil war that claimed the lives of 2.5 million Igbos when he threatened to treat “those misbehaving today” in “the language they will understand”.

Referring to present Biafra agitators who have been accused of being behind arson attacks on government institutions in the South East region, the president had tweeted on Tuesday: “Many of those misbehaving today are too young to be aware of the destruction and loss of lives that occurred during the Nigerian Civil War. Those of us in the fields for 30 months, who went through the war, will treat them in the language they understand.”

But Afenifere leader, Ayo Adebanjo, described the president’s statement as “very unfortunate” and blamed the citizens for refusing to heed wise counsel from elders who warned them against electing a “born feudalist” and “trained dictator” as their president in 2015.

Adebanjo spoke during his appearance on Channels TV’s ‘Politics Today’ which was monitored by THE WHISTLER.

His words: “It is a very unfortunate statement from the president of a democratic country. I was very sad when I heard it [and] when I was informed, I thought it couldn’t be. But I am not surprised. It is those of you who voted for Buhari in 2015 that should be amazed. I warned you then that this man is a dictator. He’s born a feudalist, he’s trained as a dictator and he has no respect for the rule of law.

“Let’s all realise the fact that the problem in this country today against unity and peace is President Buhari. He’s not on the same page with those of us looking for the unity and peace of this country.

“Take for instance, all those who voted for him…he stated in that statement that he toured the 36 states. Did he tour the 36 states to say that he’s going to oppress them? [did he] promise them that there’s going to be diversion in the rule of law in the administration of the country?

Adebanjo wondered why President Buhari had allegedly failed to act or issue similar threats to bandits and northern residents over worsening insecurity, including kidnappings and killings, in the region.

“In the North, the insurgency and the insecurity are so vast in Kaduna, Zamfara, Sokoto and in Katsina, his own state. He has not arrested or blindfolded the emirs of those places, but I’ve just received a video about ten minutes ago where he blindfolded a traditional ruler in Ogoni…in his traditional regalia. Two standards of ruling in this country by the president who claims he loves the country. And each time those who love the country tell you “Please! there’s a solution to this problem, do this” he pretends not to listen. The ones he should listen to are the youths of the country [because] you [should be] tired of the deceits.

“That’s our problem, so any language you’re using, you’re just deceiving yourself, and particularly you pressmen, don’t allow him to change the narrative. He’s talking of the youths that he’s going to teach [them a lesson]. Can a democratic president be talking of teaching his subjects who voted him into power that he’s going to teach them the lesson that he practiced during the war?

“And when I say this man has a private agenda and the agenda is to wipe out those of us who are not Fulanis,” he said.

Meanwhile, THE WHISTLER earlier reported that Twitter had deleted Buhari’s tweet for violating its rule against threat of violence.

Reacting, Nigeria’s Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed, accused the tech giant of double standards and said “If Mr President, anywhere in the world, feels very bad and concern about a situation, he is free to express such views.”