General News of Saturday, 12 August 2023
Source: www.mynigeria.com
Activist, Mahdi Shehu, has warned Presidents who do not like to be overthrown to be democratic and responsible else coup will always be an option for the aggrieved.
Speaking during an interview with Arise Television, Shehu cautioned President Bola Tinubu on his decision to go to war with Niger Republic.
According to him only an inexperienced President will go to war three months after resuming office.
He said;
"This is a war that Tinubu cannot afford. Physically, psychologically, intellectually, militarally. The capacity is not there. I think he is using this war as an alibi, as a cover to ensure the war comes between Nigeria, ECOWAS and Niger and that will make him invoke the constitution provision for emergency rule. That will not happen. Nigerians are much wiser.
They have no business going to Niger if the choice of the Nigerien people to express their own frustration is a military rule and they have welcomed it, so be it!
Where was ECOWAS when other countries were being taken over by the military? Where was America, UK? If the military rule is an option to irresponsible leadership, to fraud in governance, to betrayal of trust, so be it.
If the civilian Presidents don't like coup, they should be democratic, responsible and answerable. Short of that, coup will always be an option to people who are aggrieved."
Shehu added that should President Tinubu decides to go ahead with the war, he will lose more than ECOWAS as Nigerians will go to polls to elect him out.
He described Tinubu as an absolute failure with lack of experience.
"If Tinubu decides to go and invade Niger along with ECOWAS, he will lose more than ECOWAS because definitely, we going to the polls anytime, any day soon, we will go back to the polls and that is when Nigerians will realise that they have been called upon in the past, be wary, be careful, beware of a Tinubu presidency. They didn't hear. Now we are seeing the manifestation of absolute failure and incapacity, inability and lack of experience. Only an inexperienced President, barely three months in an office can begin to think of war."