Youth Group Backs Obasanjo Over Herdsmen, Islamisation Allegation

The All Nigerian Youth Re-oriented Movement has thrown its weight behind former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo over his recent statements on Islamisation agenda.

Obasanjo had, while addressing the second session of the seventh Synod of the Anglican Communion, Oleh Diocese, in the Isoko South Local Government Area of Delta State, said that the deadly activities of Boko Haram and herdsmen in the country was no longer as a result of lack of education or employment.

He said instead, that it was as a result of West African Fulanisation and African Islamisation agenda being implemented in the country.

The statement had since open the floodgates of criticism, especially from the camp of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) a development that the youth movement is against,

But the All Nigerian Yöuths Reoriented, while reacting, told The Eagle that the barrage of criticisms against the person of Obasanjo was unwarranted especially given the enormity of challenge that had been posed on the country, by both the herdsmen attacks and other moves by the government.

President Muhammadu Buhari

The president, Olufemi Ajadi, told our correspondent in an interaction that rather than take Obasanjo’s statement and out of context, that the administration needed only to learn from it in terms of knowing what to correct and what not to correct.

He said in his capacity as a former president, that Obasanjo was qualified to draw attention to those issues of governance with potential of causing social and political problems in the country.

According to him, Obasanjo did so even during the presidency of Dr Goodluck Jonathan, whom he handed over power to as president, adding that there was nothing wrong if he made the same observation in the current government.

“It is normal for a Nigerian of Obasanjo’s standing to speak about the state of affairs in the country.

“He made the statement at the second session of the Synod held at the Cathedral Church of St.Paul’s Anglican Church, Oleh in Isoko South Local Government Area of Delta State.

Is it not true that the herdsmen and the issue of Boko Haram are serious issues in the country, so why will anybody criticis Obasanjo for pointing it out”, Ajadi queried.

He said there were many issues to suggest that things are not working the way they should in the country, and that rather than attacking Obasanjo, that the government should seek ways of making things better in the country.

He cited such issues as unemployment, poor infrastructure, and general poverty as major issues in the country, adding that the issue of insurgency makes these worse.

Ajadi said his youth organization would always speak out on those issues that affect the future of not the youths but also the unity of the country, adding that allegations of islamisation were one of such issues.

It would be recalled that Obasanjo reportedly said the Boko Haram insurgency was no longer an issue of lack of education and lack of employment.

According to him, “It is now West African Fulanisation, Islamisation and global organised crimes of human trafficking, money laundering, drug trafficking, gun trafficking, illegal mining and regime change”.