former spokesman for four United States Ambassadors to the United
Nations, Richard Grenell has given his opinion on why Muhammadu Buhari
should not emerge winner of the presidential election.
According to Grenell, it would be a disaster for the entire African
continent if Buhari, the presidential candidate of the All
Progressives Congress (APC) wins the presidential elections scheduled
for March 28, Punch reports.
This was disclosed in a piece titled: Nigeria on the brink, and which
was published in the Washington Times,a US based publication, of
Thursday, March 19, 2015.
Grenell noted that the former military Head of state has been working
tirelessly to enthrone Sharia law across the country, and this would
pose a major challenge to the fight against terrorism in Nigeria and
the continent at large.
The former US envoy said: "Western foreign policy observers
pre-occupied with the rise of ISIS in the Middle East should wake up
to the reality unfolding in Nigeria. Opposition candidate General
Buhari wants Sharia law throughout Nigeria. In fact, he wants it
everywhere.
"Is this an indication that Buhari supports violence because the end
goal of the terrorist attacks throughout Nigeria and Africa is an
Islamic state? It is a legitimate question that should be asked by
leaders of the Obama administration.
"Boko Haram has pledged its allegiance and support to ISIS. The
Northern Nigerian based Islamic terrorist group wants Sharia law
throughout the country and beyond. They are also actively terrorising
Chad, Niger and Cameroon with their goal of an Islamic state.
"Buhari has also spoken sympathetically about members of the terrorist
group Boko Haram, has cautioned against a rush to judgement on its
members and has personally been selected by the terrorist group to
lead its negotiations with the Government of Nigeria.
"Buhari's election as Nigeria's head of state would be a disaster for
Africa. It would also signal trouble for the West's fight against ISIS
and terrorism throughout the Middle East."
He added that in recent weeks, President Goodluck Jonathan, Buhari's
main rival had made commendable efforts to rout the Boko Haram set
from some communities and therefore deserves the support of the Barack
Obama led United States administration and the rest of the world.
"The Nigerian economy has been growing faster than South Africa's.
Imagine what Nigeria could do for Africa if it was also free of Boko
Haram's violence. The Obama Administration should be doing more to
ensure Africa's most populous country doesn't slip away.
"Islamic radicals have Africa on their target list and young Nigerians
are reported to be interested in ISIS' messages. Nigeria is at a
tipping point. The West, and specifically the Obama Administration,
needs to wake up to the growing problem," Grenell said.
There has been concerns that the APC presidential candidate will
Islamise Nigeria if he he is elected as President of the country.
Buhari has however, on countless occasion, said he was not a religious
fundamentalist or extremist as his opponents had alleged.
Speaking recently through the vice presidential candidate of the APC,
Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, at an inter-faith engagement in Kaduna, Buhari
said:"I would like to solemnly declare that in spite of what
detractors say, I am not a religious fanatic of any sort and I have
never been.
--naij
No comments:
Post a Comment