As Nigerians continue to react to the harsh response of the Federal Government to Pastor Enoch Adeboye’s call for Nigeria’s restructuring, another cleric, Sam Adeyemi, Senior Pastor of Lagos-based church, Daystar Christian Centre, has admonished President Muhammadu Buhari to be a good listener.
“When did it become a threat for citizens to express opinions, even if strong, about the structuring or restructuring of their country?” he queried on his verified Twitter handle,
“Effective leaders listen,” Adeyemi declared.
Adeyemi’s statement was a response to the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, over the latter’s harsh statement insisting that the federal government would not succumb to threats emanating from some quarters in the country.
“The Presidency responds to the recurring threats to the corporate existence of the country with factions giving specific timelines for the President to do one thing or another or else, in their language, ‘the nation will break up.’
“This is to warn that such unpatriotic outbursts are both unhelpful and unwarranted as this government will not succumb to threats and take any decision out of pressure at a time when the nation’s full attention is needed to deal with the security challenges facing it at a time of the COVID-19 health crisis.
“Repeat: this administration will not take any decision against the interests of 200 million Nigerians, who are the President’s first responsibility under the constitution, out of fear or threats especially in this hour of a health crisis. “The President as an elected leader under this constitution will continue to work with patriotic Nigerians, through and in line with the parliamentary processes to finding solutions to structural and other impediments to the growth and wellbeing of the nation and its people.”
Shehu’s statement continues to attract reactions from Nigerians across the country.
In its response, the Southern and Middle Belt Leaders Forum, warned Shehu to “stop playing Pharaoh.”
