The Middle Belt Forum (MBF) has said the forgiveness that president Muhammadu Buhari seeks from Nigerians will come when the anomaly that characterised the 2023 general election is addressed.
Recall that a penitent Buhari, while speaking when he hosted some residents of the federal capital territory at the presidential villa during Eid-el-Fitr celebration, had appealed to Nigerians he might have hurt and offended in the course of his presidency to forgive him and let bygone be bygone.
Reacting to Buhari’s act of contrition, the National President of MBF, Dr. Bitrus Pogu, said there was nothing wrong in Buhari seeking forgiveness because that meant he realised he made a mistake and didn’t fulfill his promises to Nigeria.
He, however, said the problem with Buhari seeking forgiveness is that it may set dangerous precedent where another person will come, abdicate his responsibility as president, renege on his promises and perform abysmally and then ask people to forgive him
He said “it is not bad for anyone who has made a mistake to apologise and to seek forgiveness. He has realised that he did not do all he was supposed to do as president and he is begging Nigerians to forgive him.
“However, the issue is that anyone can come tomorrow, do the same thing and ask for forgiveness and this doesn’t solve our problems. If he wants us to forgive him, let him right the wrongs done by INEC so that we can have the right people in office and have the kind of Nigeria that we are looking for. He should not hand over to crooks but let him ensure that the right person comes into office.
“The nonsense that INEC has done should be reversed, the truth has to be established and there should not be any interference that would make the Supreme Court twist the constitution and twist justice in favour of the highest bidder. If he does that, Nigerians would hail him as the greatest leader.
“Nigerians would only forgive him if he does the right thing. Let him not hand over to Nigeria, problems that would put them in a deeper hole. The presidential election was not conducted properly, he is the one who appointed the INEC chairman, so he should stand his ground and ensure that the right thing is done,” Pogu said.