IGBO Leaders of Thought (ILT) has criticised President Muhammadu Buhari over his style of leadership, saying he has violated the constitution of the country in so many ways including the appointments he has made so far.
The group, in a communiqué endorsed by its Chairman Professor Ben Nwabueze, after meeting in Enugu recently, noted that President Buhari’s one-man rule has generated much tension in the land and has caused serious retardation of the economy, social dislocation, insecurity and polarisation along ethnic and religious lines.
ILT reminds the president that the main problem of the country today is the National Question, which demands, among other things, the restructuring of the federation, and call on him to set up immediately the machinery for the purpose and for the implementation of the 2014 National Conference resolutions.
ILT supports the fight against corruption provided it is not selective, and it is subject to constitutional limitations on power, especially limitations arising from our federal system and the guarantee of civil and political rights,” it said, noting that he Fulani cattle-rearers have continued to constitute a menace and security problem in the country.
The group therefore, called on the president to restrict the cattle-rearers to cattle ranches as is done in all cattle-rearing countries all over the world. “There is a feeling among Ndigbo that these Boko Haram insurgents are advanced groups of jihadists. Just like the Fulani herdsmen over the South-East, South-West and North-Central armed with AK 47 guns,” they declared.
While condemning the movement of Boko Haram terrorists to the prison in Ekwulobia in spite of the protests of Anambrarians, the group said Anambrarians are more of the victims of the terrorists, adding that the criminal elements in any case should be kept in detention facilities close to their locations in North-East where they would face trial.
They reminded the president that there are thousands of internally displaced persons (refugees from North East) in Igboland who also should be catered for like other internally displaced persons, IDP’s in other parts of the country and condemned the hounding of Igbo protesters.
ILT said: “Igbo young men who are professing against brazen injustices against Ndigbo are being hounded. The ILT would like to remind the President that the constitution of this country guarantees freedom of expression, manifested particularly in lawful protests, as a fundamental rights.”
