Buhari’s health: Northern leaders accuse APC chiefs, associates of scheming to be VP

Northern leaders have accused some All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftains and associates of President Muhammadu Buhari of scheming to be vice president, in the belief that the president may not survive the ailment that has affected his performance in office.

For sometime now, the President has been out of public view, fuelling speculation that his health has worsened.

The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), during the week, warned those it said, were praying for the demise of the President.

Reacting to this development, prominent ACF leader, Senator Joseph Waku, chided those wishing President Buhari dead and warned that if they didn’t retrace their steps, the President may read their obituary. He accused some Buhari’s associates of scheming to be vice president.

He likened developments on the president’s health to what played out between Nigeria’s first President, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, on one hand and Dr. K. O. Mbadiwe and Chief R. B. K. Okafor on the other.

He said: “There was a day that Dr. K .O. Mbadiwe and Chief R. B. K. Okafor announced that Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, the Owelle of Onitsha was dead, and they went ahead to set up a funeral committee. Zik, in his response, said his traditional title as, the Owelle of Onitsha forbade him from attending a funeral, otherwise, he would have attended the burial of these two people. And it came to pass, as these people died and Zik lived another 19 years.

“I’m not speaking for President Buhari, and I’m not casting aspersion on those who wished him to die, it is only God, who controls life. First, who in this world cannot be sick? You have a leader, a President that has fallen ill,. Rather than pray for him, because of your evil mind and because you are very deep in corruption that somebody has come to fight corruption or minimise it, then you are not happy with him. It is God that brought Buhari to power, let no human being say he brought Buhari to power. APC didn’t win election; it was Buhari who won. God has a purpose for Buhari to have become the president of this country, and the good Lord that we worship will see him through to finish his calling.”

Senator Waku said he was not bothered, but felt sorry for those who thought that they controlled life, noting that, “sometime, I wish I were not a Nigerian, because it is only in this country that your leader is sick and you sit down and pray for him to die. I cannot challenge God, otherwise I would have asked God why He made me a Nigerian. To those who do not like the truth, God will always take them away for the good of the country”.

He regretted that while Buhari, out his patriotism, often ignored doctors’ advice to continue to render services to this nation, some people sat to pray for him to die.

He prayed that the President would regain his health and work for the country as he had done in the past and would in future. He expressed dismay that some people, even in the President’s cabinet, were already allegedly issuing letters and sending messages to lobby for the yet-to-be vacant position of the vice president.

Stressing that God would enable President Buhari to accomplish his God-given assignment of cleaning up the country, Waku said: “America produces dollars, but no American has seen the volume of dollars that we are seeing here. If not for Buhari, who would have known that some people stocked dollars in their homes? Dollar is American currency, but there are more dollar cash in Nigeria than in America. If Buhari didn’t take over, Waku said, Nigeria would have gone bankrupt, rather than be in recession.”

He noted: “I’m sure in the homes of these people praying for him to die, several people have died, who were younger than Buhari. It is only God that gives life, as well as, takes life. This wishful thinking, God never answers such prayers. Some people who are not doctors have called for the National Assembly to declare the office of the President vacant. They don’t even know the procedure, but that is their feelings, rather than kneel down and pray for their leader or neighbour, we have this. It tells you how wicked some people are.”

In the same vein, President of the Arewa Youths Consultative Forum (AYCF), Alhaji Shettima Yerima, queried the ill will against the President all because of lust for power.

He said those angling to profit from the President ill health, apparently knew “it was going to come,” just as during the time of former President, Umaru Yar’Adua.

“They played the game and Nigerians went to sleep, but on this matter, we are very resolute and committed, and we are watching, and nothing must happen to President Buhari in the first place.

“If anything happens to him, we know those we are going to hold responsible, and they will pay dearly with their lives; they will never have peace in their lives, we know them and we are watching…As a result of his illness, people around him, the unforeseen powers within the corridors of power took advantage and caged him and hijacked the government.

They looted so much money and we know them, when the time comes, we will hold them responsible. Six people or less than six people cannot hold the country to ransom. The man got sick they refused to allow him to go for treatment. They capitalised on two things, age and sickness and we saw this coming and cried out.

“I’m praying that he gets strong to complete this term, and by 2019 we come up with a better option. Never again, will we allow these recycled people to make this country as their personal estate and go about doing all sorts of things”.

Also, former Commissioner of Police, Lagos State, Alhaji Abubakar Tsav, said it was not customary for any Nigerian or African to wish another dead.

His words: “Those wishing him dead are those who have interest in his position or those who think that they will benefit if someone else goes there. It is very ungodly.

It is very unfortunate, and ACF was apt in its warning to those wishing the President dead. Our lives are in the hands of God. Suppose you wish somebody dead, and the next morning you are dead, what do you say? Only God knows who will die first. You see somebody who is very sick and he is still alive, while somebody who is very healthy dies. It is all in the hands of God, let God do what He wants.”