The Southern elder statesmen who took President Muhammadu Buhari to court today said their action was to retrieve Nigeria.
First civilian Governor of Anambra state and one of the plaintiffs in the suit, Dr. Chukwuemeka Ezeife said they were not in court only to win but to salvage the country from the lawlessness of the present administration.
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They insisted that under Buhari’s government, the country’s constitution had been roundly disobeyed and implemented to favour a section of the country against the others, stressing that they would not fold their hands and watch the injustices to continue.
The leaders had initiated an N50 billion suit against President Buhari at the Federal High Court, Abuja on Monday. One of the plaintiffs in the suit and former Governor of Anambra State, Dr. Chukwuemeka Ezeife, told the publication that several appeals to get President Buhari to rule the country in line with federal character had not yielded the desired results, but had worsened by the day.
“We have been saying that Nigerians should see what is happening. It is not just about going to court to win. It may be too late and maybe the end is too near. We do not know. All we want is to retrieve Nigeria.
“We want a reversal of the situation and obedience to the constitution. The constitution provides for the federal character. The present administration is practising nepotism only. If it is not nepotism, it is religious bigotry.
“So, the present government is not obeying the constitution and we want it to obey the constitution. There are too many things going on against this government. It is true that the North, Katsina and others are complaining, but things have gone so bad and we will not continue to watch things go awry,” he stated.
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Ezeife lamented that the South East was being treated as if the Buhari administration wanted them to leave Nigeria, adding, “The boys are reacting in IPOB and we the older ones are worried about the situation.
“The government of the day has excluded the South East from palliatives, loans taken and no benefit to South East and removing its men from the military, among other ills.”
Also speaking, former President General of Aka Ikenga, Chief Goddy Uwazurike, stated that the suit was intentional, adding, “The Buhari government’s contemptuous disregard for federal character is well known.
“As such, the elders cannot fold their arms and swallow this insult. President Buhari completed his first term and promised to correct the ills of the last four years. Instead, the parochialism and shortsightedness of his government became too prominent to be ignored. “This government has treated the South and Middle Belt with ignominy. Enough is Enough!”