Ex-Anambra governor Ezeife says Buhari's support for herdsmen will unite Nigerians to rebrand the country

FORMER Anambra State governor Chief Chukwuemeka Ezeife has said President Muhammadu Buhari’s perceived backing of Fulani herdsmen might be the will of God as it could eventually unite all Nigerians to rebrand the country.

Over recent years, Nigeria has been torn apart by continued communal violence as heavily-armed herdsmen have killed hundreds as they go around attacking farming villages. An ethnic Fulani who also owns cattle, President Buhari has been accused of being sympathetic to the herdsmen and his body language has not indicated he is willing to take them on.

Reacting to the crisis, Chief  Ezeife said P)resident Buhari appears to be giving confidence to the herdsmen’s actions and taking Nigeria backwards. He, however, stated that President Buhari’s action might be the will of God to unite Nigerians and rebrand the country.

Chief Ezeife added: “The All Progressives Congress (APC) has taken Nigeria from up, where it saw to the bottom, where it is difficult to know how to come out of it. President Muhammadu Buhari has given confidence to herdsmen and other Islamists, who have invaded country and are presently killing the people but in the process uniting the rest of Nigeria.

“That can be the will of God, so therefore, we should not just pray but confront some of the issues causing problems for the country as well. Religious crisis usually arise from human errors and if you put some of these errors into proper perspective without being biased, you will find out that there is nothing to fight for.

He added that when he looks at what is happening presently, Nigeria has become a shame to Africa as the country is not progressing. Chief Ezeife accused Nigeria's current leaders of toying with God’s design for the country’s greatness.

“We have only taken giant steps backward and the country is dying as people are parking their vehicles on  bridges and jumping into the ocean. Nigerians are also dying in the desert, while trekking to Libya.

“You will see people lying on the streets and you think that they are resting, not knowing that they have been dead for days. I am not blaming any party for this situation because it may be the design of God as whoever became president did so with the help of God, so maybe, what is happening is God’s way of remaking Nigeria as He works in mysterious ways,” Chief Ezeife added.

Speaking on the alliance formed by Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) with other parties to dethrone President Buhari, he said their plans would fail. According to Chief Ezeife, anything is possible in 2019 but what will not be possible is for APC or PDP to win the presidential elections.