Exerpts from Sheik Gumis interview...................................But have there been reactions from the Jonathan camp regarding your advice? The followers of Jonathan are more educated and they benefit from the system. And the followers of Buhari are more suppressed and less educated. There are few educated ones among them, even university graduates but not many of them are. So, the reaction of the Jonathan camp is more systemic and civil. I have seen paid advertisements by Governor of Akwa Ibom, distancing himself from my suggestion. Ijaw people said that security men should come after me. So, their reaction is more civil than those who have been abusing me and even my mother. However, this shows that it is a serious issue because a segment of the society is afraid of Jonathan’s second term. So, that is why I suggested that he should give way for another person who will bring peace, tranquillity and stability to Nigeria. For the purpose of argument, which people do you suggest should replace both President Jonathan and Buhari as the presidential candidates of PDP and APC respectively? I don’t have anybody in mind. If Nigerians chose any two candidates, I’m together with them. What I’m proposing is to exclude people who can trigger turmoil. We don’t want turmoil in this country. We have enough. People are dying everyday. Innocent people have been killed, families have been exterminated. How can these same people, if they have conscience, come back again and say they want power? Power for what!? When you have blood on your hands and on the day of judgement you have to explain. And when these people are killed, none of these people on whose behalf they died will even go to their families and commiserate with them. So, it’s the duty of all patriotic Nigerians, including the media, to sensitise people. We shouldn’t allow Nigerians to kill one another in the name of politics. People keep saying that why don’t I go and sit with the General and advise him privately? My answer is, I’m not speaking to Buhari alone but to him and his fanatical supporters. I want to show them that he too has a human weakness that can even disqualify him for this position that his supporters want him to attain. Moreover, even if he gets it, he may not do what they want. And the same supporters will start abusing him. This happened to Ali Ibn Abu Talib (cousin to Prophet Muhammad[SAW]). People, who liked him, killed the Khalifa and made him the Khalifa. They found out that he couldn’t do what they wanted and in the end, they were the people that killed him. So, we have to learn from history and the vast knowledge of our literature and culture. That is why I advise the two candidates to sacrifice their ambitions for the sake of peace and stability. And if they do not, let the wise men and good Samaritans in the two parties do the right thing. If they don’t, then I am advising Nigerians to vote against these two candidates. Because anybody who doesn’t listen to advice before getting power, when he gets it, he will be a Pharaoh. Since you know so much about power and governance, why don’t you join a political party and run for public office? No, no, no. I don’t need to join politics because I told you that we need a third voice. In a boxing contest, there is always a referee. Likewise in a football match. Without a referee, the two sports will be bloody. The nation needs a referee. I don’t need power at all. Yes, I’m satisfied with being a cleric, showing people the right way Source: New Telegraph
Posted on: Sat, 01 Nov 2014 10:59:21 +0000
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