Report by Edwin Bazuwaye, from Benin.
Following the recent epileptic power supply in the country and the heat wave causing discomfort to Nigerians, some non-governmental actors and civil society activists operating under the aegis of Citizens Rights and Empowerment Advocacy Initiative found the excuse, to heap the blame on the Minister of Power and the Managing Director of Transmission Company of Nigeria(TCN). The group, in a statement through their National Coordinator, Barr. Ahmed Kabiru Garba, called on the duo to resign from office. That statement, has, however, drawn the ire of some Nigerians living in the diaspora. One of them by the name Muhammed Yusuf responded and berated Ahmed Kabiru for being infantile and childish. He castigated him for being opportunistic and allowing himself to be used as cannon fodder to execute a hidden and selfish agenda.
Muhammed Yusuf, a seasoned technocrat, who lives in Texas, United States, described Barr. Ahmed Kabiru and his band of activists as a major part of the problem in Nigeria. “Who doesn’t know that the whole game is to cast aspersion on hard-working government officials just to have them removed from office and replaced by their cohorts?”, he asked our reporter. Muhammed emphatically said the problem facing the country is sabotage and nothing more. He described the idea of some people deliberately pulling down transmission lines as wicked and callous. “Why would anyone in his right senses want to do that, knowing the havoc that would cause?”, he asked, adding if only they know the billions it would cause to fix!
Muhammed cautioned the so-called civil society activists to refrain from divisive acts such as sending the wrong message. “No government appointee would sit in his office and watch matters go out of hand; they are humans and want the best for the country”, he said, adding that the Minister for Power and the TCN management are first-class materials doing their best while fighting dangerous elements bent on giving the government of president Tinubu a bad name. Then turning on the nation, he said Nigerians, including the actors and activists, must join hands and support the government of President Tinubu. He described Tinubu as a man well-placed to fix the problems of Nigeria. “That’s a two-time governor, a senator, and now a president of a nation”, he pointed out, reminding our reporter again that his wife was also a three-time senator!
“That’s the man some dark forces are trying to sabotage his government by staging the kidnappings, killings, and electricity disruption”, he said. “So, the Customs boss who allowed illicit arms to infiltrate the country should resign as well as the security chiefs who cannot stem the spate of kidnappings and all that?” Muhammed said, that unless Nigerians change their attitude, the future may be difficult. “If we are serious about building a country, we have to shed our excesses”, he stressed, insisting that for now, we need to get back to old principles of cutting our coats to sizes. “Give a Nigerian an opportunity, and he wants to drive big cars, own mansions, send his kids to expensive private schools, travel abroad; they are constantly shopping, bragging, eating, and generally after big things”, he noted, wondering at what point to call a spade a spade!
Muhammed then issued a warning to saboteurs vandalizing electricity supply lines to desist from such backward acts and called on Nigerians to be vigilant. “This is a time to institute stiff punishment against vandals and saboteurs; we are too relaxed in this country and that’s no good attitude”, he said, stressing that you cannot do this in America where I live! He then called on the National Assembly members to close ranks and fight this common enemy. “It’s their problem too. That’s why they are there to legislate; the issue of poor electricity supply is a problem for all Nigerians to tackle, not TCN alone, this much the likes of Kabiru should know”, he concluded.
