Jonathan To Buhari: You Are A Revered Elder Statesman, Nationalist

President Goodluck Jonathan, obviously excited by the stand taken by former Nigerian military Head of State and chieftain of the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC), General Muhammadu Buhari on the deadly activities of Boko Haram, has described him as a reverend elder statesman and nationalist.
President Jonathan, in a statement by his special adviser on media and publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati said: “the position taken by General Buhari is that of a true patriot; respected former Head of State, revered elder statesman and nationalist.”
Jonathan commended General Buhari for his very statesman-like views on terrorism and insecurity in Nigeria as expressed in his article which was published by the media over the past two days.
In the article, General Buhari had condemned Boko Haram whose members bombed about 72 Nigerians to death at Nyanya motor park in Abuja, saying that those that died lived anonymously and died the same way.
Buhari said that those who died were part of us and shared the same aspirations we all do. “We seek an improved fate for our children and hope to leave them a better life. We want to work and live in dignity and respect. We want a life of peace and harmony with our neighbors regardless of religion, ethnicity or background. We seek prosperity not poverty. We seek brotherly understanding not strife. We seek peace, not bombs.
“It was not just 72 people who were taken in this depraved assault. Each of us lost something that day. Yet, despite the loss and suffering, we must not cower in fear, and let the purveyors of death believe they have scored a victory over us.
“Those who committed this act have declared war on all that is decent and good. They have declared war not against the state or even the government. “They have declared war on Nigeria and all Nigerians because this murder took men and women, old and young, Christians and Muslims alike. In trying to scare, frighten and divide us, the evildoers committed injury to their own cause. For they have shown us that we all suffer inhumanity in the same way.
“No matter our religion or place of birth, we all bleed and are wounded the same way by injustice. Decency runs through the teachings of each religion and ethnic group that comprise the people of Nigeria.
“We may have our differences, but the vast majority of Nigerians stand united against the appalling violence committed in Nyanya and other places.
“These acts have no place in Nigeria. Those who commit them have no place in our country.  The perpetrators may look like human beings. They may have limbs and faces like the rest of us but they are not like us.
“In killing innocent people, they have become inhuman. They live outside the scope of humanity. Their mother is carnage and their father is cruelty. “They have declared war against the people of Nigeria. They have shown that they do not want to liberate the people. They want to kill them. Yet, with all the energy of their evil and ignorant hatred, they shall fail. The good people of Nigeria shall triumph.
“Such a wicked mission shall not succeed. We have gone too far in our journey to nationhood and endured too much to allow these terrible acts to divert us.”
In the statement this evening, President Jonathan welcome General Buhari’s call on all Nigerians to remain steadfast and work in unity to overcome terrorists and other merchants of death who currently threaten national security.
He said that he fully shares General Buhari’s view that a minority must never be allowed to “bring the nation to its knees through terror”.
He said that General Buhari’s recommendation that the nation’s counter-terrorism strategies be further fine-tuned and expressed gratitude for his kind offer of support and co-operation in dealing with the challenge of terrorism.
“I assure General Buhari of my Administration’s sincere commitment and dedication to the successful prosecution of the fight against terrorism and all other threats to national security. I assure the General of my preparedness to work with him and all other patriotic Nigerians, irrespective of their political affiliations, to strengthen national security and end the scourge of terrorism.”