Femi Adesina, Special Adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari on Media and Publicity had on Thursday said what Nigeria currently needs is a leader with iron fist to whip into line those who are misbehaving in any part of the country.
One after another, aides and essential members of President Muhammadu Buhari government have asked the President to return the country to draconian military – like rule.
Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the federation, Abubakar Malami was recently accused of asking the President to suspend the Constitution for a state of emergency so as to address the spate of insecurity. This he has denied.
In his weekly article titled ‘ I Suddenly Remembered Why I Fell In Love With The President’; Femi Adesina said the President’s statement to deal with troublemakers like the days of the Civil war shouldn’t be portrayed as being genocidal as no leader worth his salt will watch while law and order breaks down.
According to him, the message the President was trying to pass across was that even though every region has a grouse about the state of the nation, murder and mayhem is not an option to resolve the issues.
The article reads in part “What our country needs at this time is iron and steel. An alchemy of GMB and PMB. We are in a democracy, yes, but democracy is no byword for lawlessness.
“If anybody misbehaves in any part, repeat, ANY PART, of the country, they need to be whipped into line. The nation needs not go into a tailspin because some people bear giant sized grudges in their hearts.
“By the way, is there any part of the country that does not have one grievance or the other? Is the next option then to capsize the boat of the country?
“Any leader that has sworn to uphold the Constitution would not open his eyes, and see it happen”.
“Leaders must do whatever they should do to maintain peace and tranquility in their countries.
“Their intentions will always be misinterpreted and misrepresented. No matter. The good of the larger majority must be considered at all times.
“North, South, East, West, anarchy should never be condoned, no matter what some people may say”.
“I like how Moyosore Oyetunji, a passionate Buharist on Facebook summarized latest developments: “When he pleaded with you to eschew violence, you accused him of becoming a motivational speaker, instead of the General that he is. Now he has decided to be it, you are crying. Please, what exactly do you want from him?”
“President Buhari is not genocidal, and can’t ever be accused of such intentions. But a leader worth his salt cannot look on, and watch law and order break down irretrievably. It is not about a people, or region. It is about the country he took an oath to keep together”.
“Every region has one grouse or the other against the state of our union. But murder and mayhem should never be an option in resolving matters. That is the message of President Buhari, and it should be the message of every good Nigerian.
