• ‘Priest Is Misfiring, Propagandist, Acting Like Card-carrying APC Member’
NIGERIANS have been reacting to prediction by controversial cleric, Rev. Father Ejike Mbaka, that elements displeased with the anti-corruption stance of President Muhammadu Buhari may make an attempt on his life.

While some dismissed the words of the Catholic priest as cheap publicity and the outbursts of another prophet of doom, others say that with hindsight, the Presidency needs to be more cautious.
“Attempt by unpatriotic and corrupt politicians on his life is possible even without the prediction of the clergy. This is foreseeable because corruption always fights back, and Buhari may be a victim. We pray it will not happen,” said leader of the Conference of Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP) and former Governor of old Kaduna State, Alhaji Balarabe Musa.

Musa warned: “During the regime of General Murtala Muhammed, he did a similar thing by trying to fight corruption. But unpatriotic persons ended up assassinating him and attempted to overthrow his government. In Buhari’s case, he should know that corrupt people could do to him what they did to Murtala Mohammed.”

Security expert, Mr. Ladi Thompson, shared Balarabe Musa’s view. “There have been fears that those on the short end of the anti-corruption crusade could attempt to assassinate the President. On the face of it, the fears may appear outlandish, but the history of the country makes any attempt to totally ignore such fears impossible to ignore,” Thompson said, also pointing to the fate that befell First Republic Prime Minister, Abubakar Tafawa-Balewa, and General Murtala Mohammed.
“I don’t want to share that possibility now, but there could be attempts on his life, also because he is getting closer and closer to the root of the Boko Haram phenomenon. To protect his life, the Nigerian public needs to be educated on the specific roles that different constituencies have to execute,” he added.

At his Adoration Ministry in Enugu, at the weekend, Rev. Mbaka, had said: “I am not a sycophant…Many people are planning to kill Buhari; there are many plans on how to eliminate his life, so that corruption will continue; so that embezzlement will continue.”

Founding member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Prince Tony Momoh, urged Nigerians not to be intimidated, saying: “God will continue to protect Mr. President and those that are of the same mind and vision with him.”

He said: “Last January, over 15 different clerics swore that Buhari will never become president. But, today, the case is different,” adding: “Even Jesus did not arrogate to himself the power of knowing what will happen in the future; He rather gave it to God.”

According to a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Amos Olayinka, “What we should try to know is the true state of the President’s health. This is important because whatever happens…God forbid. If he dies, a template has already been laid with that kind of prophecy for crisis to erupt in the country.”

Olayinka does not believe President Buhari is fighting corruption in the first instance. “To me, he is only clamping down on the opposition and preparing the ground to convert Nigeria into a one party state. That is reason many people are defecting to the APC; not for any ideological reason, but to seek protection,” he said.

Mbaka’s prediction drew venom from the national coordinator of the Human Rights Writers’ Association of Nigeria (HURIWA), Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, who maintained that it was impossible to assassinate Buhari.
Describing Mbaka as a prophet of doom, he expressed dissatisfaction with the cleric for acting as if he is a card-carrying member of the ruling APC.

He said: “That is not a prophecy; it is propaganda. How can Father Mbaka say people are plotting to kill Buhari? It is like Mbaka has joined T.B Joshua’s gang. T.B Joshua used to be the only person that makes prophesies that are outrageous and so unbelievable.
“Mbaka has taken the position of T.B Joshua. There is no atom of believability in that prophecy. It doesn’t make sense to say somebody wants to kill President Buhari. Everybody knows that Boko Haram wants to kill everybody. If there is a plot like that, it must be from the people the government is fighting. How will some corrupt persons kill Buhari?
“We must remember that Buhari is surrounded by hundreds of well trained professional soldiers. Is there anybody in Nigeria who is as protected as Buhari? So, what is Mbaka talking about? He should stop talking rubbish. Nobody can kill Buhari because he is the most protected President in Africa. Mbaka has lost his principles. He should join the APC. And remember, I am also a Catholic.”

General Yakubu Rimdan (rtd), on his part, appreciated the concerns of Father Mbaka over any purported plan by corrupt politicians to assassinate the President.
“It is very unfortunate of those desperate politicians who milked the country to its bone marrow. If there are politicians who are against President Buhari, who feel so badly enough to eliminate him for doing the right thing, it is unfortunate,” he said.

He advised Buhari not to be deterred but rather beef up security around him, saying: “The names of all those suspects who looted the treasury should be given to the ICPC and EFCC. All those suspects should be arrested and sent to underground prisons to await trial. They should not be granted bail. They should return all the looted money; their accounts should be traced.”

Retired Assistant Inspector General of the Police, Mr. Tunji Alapini, on his part, said: “Chances of assassinating anybody, including presidents, are always there. Envisaging, reviewing and blocking the opportunities, are the most important (steps to take).”