Apology not enough, redress flawed policies, Fayose tells Buhari

Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, has admonished President Muhammadu Buhari to go beyond apologising to Nigerians on some flawed policies and miscalculated steps his administration had taken since assuming office by redressing the lapses.

The governor also urged the President to stop seeing himself as a sectional leader or the president of the All Progressives Congress (APC), rather as a leader of all groups and people of the country.

According to a press statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Idowu Adelusi in Ado-Ekiti at the weekend, Fayose commended the President for coming out to admit some errors his government had made.

The governor also said the president should be wary of some selfish persons in the APC who were bent on dropping his name to commit atrocities all in the name of politics.

“This is a moment of truth. I commend the president for being bold enough to apologise for his lapses. He has come out to admit and accept that criticism is part of democracy. He can do whatever he likes, but it must be within the ambit of the law.

“The President has swallowed his pride by admitting that there is a sharp drop in electricity and that we are experiencing an agonising fuel scarcity in the country. They told us the refineries are working, but that is a lie, we are still importing fuel.

“The President must not, however, stop at apologising. He cannot continue to apologise over everything, he must step up. A leader must think very well before making policy statements.

“He apologised on the dissolution of governing councils of federal universiti‎es, which I had earlier criticised. There are laws establishing these boards and you cannot just wake up one day and say you dissolve them.

“I call on the Pr‎esident to do something about the lingering fuel scarcity. Many motorists now sleep at filling stations. Unfortunately, the Federal Government has told Nigerians not to expect solution soon. The government should end the pains without delay and stop chasing perceived political enemies.

“The President should also address job losses which have become a daily occurrence. They promised Nigerians jobs but the reverse is the case now.

“They should also pay attention to security issues, rather than exerting energy on silencing opposition. Look at the Agatu issue. That place is a food basket for the country and when herdsmen now go on the rampage destroying lives and properties, we should not fold our‎ arms,” he said.

Fayose also took a swipe at the manner elections had been conducted under the pre‎sent regime, saying it had destroyed the legacy of credible elections left behind by former President Goodluck Jonathan.

“It is an understatement to describe the conduct of elections in Kogi, Bayelsa and Rivers states by the Buhari administration as a show of shame. This is an aspect where the President has to be very careful. He must not allow himself to be led by the nose by some rejected and crooked politicians.”