I and Mr Peter Claver have been friends since the late 80s. Peter Claver and Omoyele Sowore were in the Student Union Exco of the University of Lagos in the days of the annulment of June 12 1993 Presidential Elections won by Chief Moshood Abiola, GCFR. We all fought for June 12 and through Mr Peter Claver I met Sowore and we all became friends till date. When Sowore founded the once famous Sahara Reporters we became contributors of articles to enrich and to promote the Tabloid and this we did very well and today we are grateful to SOWORE for giving us the platform to express ourselves.
When President Buhari who has made attempts to rule Nigeria in 2003, 2007 , 2011 and failed came again in 2015 Sowore rolled out Sahara Reporters to support him. We all rallied round him with millions of other Nigerians and PMB won . Suddenly in the middle of his first term Soworo and Sahara Reporters started withdrawing their support for PMB especially when the President felt sick.
I followed Sahara Reporters reports on the President’s health and noticed that the Tabloid was working in tandem with the opposition and haters of the President to make mockery of the sick President. It pained to the marrows but I endured it . After all this is democracy. But the attacks continued unabated and uncontrollable. I followed all this like a student of history with pains and sorrows.
In 2014 Sowore joined the presidential race to unseat President Buhari and the veil was eventually removed. I followed the campaigns even though some of us felt that as his friends he would have reached us, at least for advice. This move eroded the glory, respect and support enjoyed by Sowore and his Publishing house and things have never been the same again. Sowore scored less than 40, 0000 votes and the less is now history.
Today we have seen Sowore winning and dinning with our own Nnamdi Kanu who has been fighting to divide Nigeria by tearing Igboland away from Nigeria. He now wants a revolution to bring President BUHARI down by all means. This is unacceptable and I will never never support this nonsense. I do not know what Sowore is seeing that I cannot see. I do not know why SOWORE fought so hard to enthrone President Buhari only to turn around to begin to lays mines on the way. What went wrong?
Do we think that rebuilding a country plundered for many decades will be done overnight? Can’t we see the corrupt entities are fighting hard to get back to power? Are we not handing weapons to the enemies to get back to power? Is it that Sowore cannot see that Corruption is fighting back across Nigeria using herdsmen as a shield? Can’t Sowore see the big picture? Can’t Sowore see that human rights community who are supposed to stand behind PMB to deal a deadly blow to corruption in Nigeria are giving up? When Gold rust what will iron do? A school of thought once told me that he freed a thousand slaves and he would have freed more if only they knew they were slaves.
As for me I have chosen to remain and stand behind PMB come what may. I do not give up easily. Iam seeing what I wanted to see from PMB’s Government. At my age I know genuine people when I see one and PMB is one of them. I remain as constant as Northern Stars in my support for PMB and APC in the efforts to rebuild and rework Nigeria. I am doing this because I am convinced that evil triumph in every society when good men do nothing. I am convinced that PMB knows where he is taking Nigeria to. Nigerians have fed on corruption for years that we need to go extra miles to dislodge and dismantle corruption.
I am therefore saying that Sowore’s call for a revolution is a fluke and a misnomer because a revolution is not announced. It comes naturally. President Buhari’s government is the revolution we have been waiting for even though some people cannot see or feel it. PMB does not need attacks but encouragement. He does not deserve heckling but support. He does not need abuse but prayer because Nigeria is not yet where it should be. With your efforts we will get there.
Let me appreciate those that have been standing with President Buhari since 2014 even on empty stomachs and even with all the abuses and calling of names. They know themselves and they are not ready to give up even at gun point. They are men and women of honour and of great courage who are ready to suffer today for a better tomorrow. There is what is called principle of Delayed Gratification which suggest that every hard work will be rewarded in the fullness of time. The rewards will come by the Grace of God.
*Written By Joe Igbokwe
