People angry with Buhari are looters, Kogi gov tells Catholic bishops

GOVERNOR Yahaya Bello of Kogi State on Friday rejected the admonition to President Muhammadu Buhari by the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN), saying that contrary to the position of the conference that Nigerians were angry, only those who have stolen the nation’s money were angry with the president.

Speaking to State House correspondents after observing the Juma’at prayers at the State House Abuja Mosque, he argued that ordinary people were happy with the performance of President Buhari.

Asked to react to the CBCN’s statement which harped on the frittering away of the goodwill hitherto enjoyed by the president, the governor stated: “Yes. I followed it keenly and one of the key statement there was that Nigerians are angry. Yes, it is true that Nigerians are angry but the question is who are these categories of Nigerians who are angry?

“The category of Nigerians that are angry are those who used private jets to cart away Nigeria’s money in dollars out of the country to South Africa. I’m sure you are aware that our money is still locked down there. Such money, if you bring it into the economy, a lot of youths that are unemployed will surely be employed.

“And of course, those that have looted the country dry and normally go to the church and mosque to pay tithe are no longer doing so. Of course, these are the category of people who are angry.

“If you look at it critically, the farmers, those with real jobs are happy because the economy is improving. In no time, we have come out of recession, our foreign reserve is increasing, no more bombing in Sambisa, no more bombing in the country, no more bombing in Emab plaza even as close as Abuja, no more bombing in Suleja and all over the country.

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“I think those that are benefiting from these crimes and criminality will be angry and they are Nigerians. So, it is important to define the category of the people who are angry.

“I want to urge Nigerians to continue to appreciate Mr President, pray for him so that the good work he has started he will complete it so that Nigeria will be not of the woods.”

Bello threw his weight behind the National Assembly in its rearrangement of the order of election, saying that it would deny “bad” legislators the chance to be re-elected hiding under the cover of the “Buhari Tsunami” as was the case in 2015.

While expressing confidence that Buhari would be re-elected in a landslide, he added: “I so much appreciate this. I think if you observe critically what happened in the last election where Mr President was elected along with other members of National Assembly, then we called it Buhari tsunami, where the good, the bad and the ugly were all put together and elected, it is either going to be in their interest that the Buhari tsunami will return them or everybody will be on his or her own.

“Let Buhari return and let Nigerians select the good ones out of the bad ones to return to the National Assembly.

“Whichever order it comes, in the upcoming general elections, I can assure you that Mr President will win a landslide and the good ones will return to the National Assembly.”

Asked if he believed that the lawmakers would lose out under the reordering, he argued: “They have the choice to make and they have made their choice that the goodwill of Mr President should not rob on the bad ones.

“Surely, the good ones on their own account will return to the National Assembly at the appropriate time.”

The governor also supported the appointment by President Buhari of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu to lead the reconciliation process within the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC), saying that he supported any move made by the president.

“Of course. Whatever Mr President believes in, his judgement and his wisdom I believe in him. And I believe in his ability to bring all party members together,” he said.

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The governor insisted on selling off state assets which he said were not adding value to the state.

He said Kogi people who were against the move were ignorant Abuja-based politicians.

“You see, this is politics playing but we will not be deterred by some uninformed so-called elites that are here in Abuja making noise,” the governor declared.