The Deputy National Leader of the Northern Elders Forum, NEF, Dr. Paul Unongo, says the refusal of former President Goodluck Jonathan cannot take the credit for ending insurgency in the country having refused to heed the advice of the forum.
According to Unongo, NEF wondered why Jonathan refused to implement the group’s blueprint to end the war against the insurgents.
Speaking with Punch on Wednesday, Unongo said the recommendations which Jonathan allegedly ignored were being used by President Muhammadu Buhari.
He condemned some opinion leaders for describing President Buhari’s anti-corruption war as being selective.
Speaking on the trial of the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, at the Code of Conduct Tribunal, the NEF deputy leader noted that the President’s body language was an indication that the new government would not condone corruption.
Unongo also stressed that NEF would not hesitate to criticise the new government if it acted against the wishes of the masses.
“NEF have not written any letter to President Buhari on Boko Haram. I am sure he picked up the recommendations we sent to Jonathan and they are working for him. NEF didn’t condemn Jonathan because he is Jonathan. We gave Jonathan a piece of advice.
“We were talking to him for over two years. We told him that he cannot fight Boko Haram with obsolete equipment and we told him that the battle was not only about using arms. We told him to use psychological intelligence.
“We actually wanted him to get the credit for winning the deadly Boko Haram war, but he doubted the kidnap of the Chibok girls and actually was seen on the television dancing azonto. Our people were being killed in hundreds. This was the height of insensitivity and we just had to complain about that. We complained creatively.”
The deputy NEF leader urged the All Progressives Congress to strengthen its internal democracy and concentrate on providing quality leadership so as to move the nation forward.
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