2019: Go ahead Mr. President, MURIC urges Buhari to re-contest, lampoons critics

*’Nigeria will reach higher heights with Buhari’s fresh mandate 2019 without hostile NASS’

By Kemi Kasumu, General Editor

“Nigerians must remember that the cassu belli for the parliamentary coup which allowed elements sympathetic to the opposition to take over both Senate and the House of Representatives in the early days of this regime was to slow down Buhari’s work and turn around to accuse him of incompetence and lack of performance.  But they are now surprised that various projects are going on around the country. This is giving Buhari’s critics the jitters. It explains why they are feverishly spreading one false rumour after another, all in an attempt to cause chaos so that those projects would not become fait accompli.  We urge Nigerians to ignore those wicked rumours. They are designed to distract attention from the good works of the government. Nigerians should not make the same mistake they made in 1985 when Buhari’s transparent military regime was truncated. That interruption brought us to where we are today. The same brains behind the 1985 interruption are back at their old game. But they will fail woefully this time around because Nigerians already know them as the real enemies of the people.”

Having taken a cursory look at the allegations of incompetence, ineffectiveness, lack of performance and others leveled critics against the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari thereby asking him not to seek re-election in 2019, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) says it has concluded that those allegations are subjective, emotive, lack merit and, therefore, calls on the President to forge ahead with his government.

MURIC, in a statement issued in Lagos on Monday by its Director, Prof. Ishaq Akintola, copy of which was sent to The DEFENDER, said the allegations do not truly reflect the realities on ground as it said they paint a gloomy picture of the country in general “but our findings prove that such a picture remains in the figment of the authors’ imagination.”

It said, “An administration which has a poor understanding of the economy cannot raise external reserve to $42 billion from a paltry $29 billion within two and a half years” like the Buhari’s government has done, “particularly with falling oil prices. Neither can a regime which brandishes a kindergarten economic expertise rescue a country from deep recession within such a short period” but, MURIC defending the sitting government, asked the critics to look for other allegations as there was not substance in what they leveled against the President’s leadership of the country for which they are inciting Nigerians against his re-election.

The group challenged the critics to explain, “How did the Nigerian stock exchange get ranked as best performing in 2017 if Buhari has really dipped our economy in deep waters?” adding that “Just last week, Interpol adjudged Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) as the best on the African continent and it advised sister nations to emulate the anti-corruption agency.”

It said, “The indices are definitely not in favour of Buhari’s critics. By blocking leakages and diversifying sources of income, Nigeria’s non-oil revenues are poised to surpass income from oil for the first time in 45 years. Rice production has witnessed an unprecedented increase that the price has not only been drastically brought down, it has also re-jigged the monumental Kano groundnut pyramids albeit in form of rice this time around. Local farmers are feeling the positive impact of government’s intervention.”

“In the area of national moral rearmament, corrupt judges are being held accountable for the first time in the nation’s history. A judge was sacked two days ago while another was compulsorily retired. An ex-governor was jailed earlier,” it said.

MURIC, according to the statement, affirms that Buhari may not be a saint because no human being is perfect but that he is definitely getting Nigeria out of the woods, adding that, things are getting better and that it could have been faster and more noticeable had the National Assembly (NASS) been cooperative.

The nation’s most vocal Islamic rights group called attention of Nigerians to the reality on ground saying, “Nigerians must remember that the cassu belli for the parliamentary coup which allowed elements sympathetic to the opposition to take over both Senate and the House of Representatives in the early days of this regime was to slow down Buhari’s work and turn around to accuse him of incompetence and lack of performance.

“But they are now surprised that various projects are going on around the country. This is giving Buhari’s critics the jitters. It explains why they are feverishly spreading one false rumour after another, all in an attempt to cause chaos so that those projects would not become fait accompli.

“We urge Nigerians to ignore those wicked rumours. They are designed to distract attention from the good works of the government. Nigerians should not make the same mistake they made in 1985 when Buhari’s transparent military regime was truncated. That interruption brought us to where we are today. The same brains behind the 1985 interruption are back at their old game. But they will fail woefully this time around because Nigerians already know them as the real enemies of the people.

“To round up, MURIC charges the entire citizenry to remain faithful and loyal to the Nigeria project. We remind all and sundry that Buhari has remained consistent and uncompromising in spite of his long period of illness. We appeal to critics to stop all distractions and allow Buhari to work. Nigeria will reach higher heights if we can give Buhari another mandate in 2019 without a hostile NASS. With 2019 on our mind, we invite President Muhammadu Buhari to ignore his detractors and to forge ahead,” it said.