A historian and leader of Afenifere, Prof. Banji Akintoye, says President Muhammadu Buhari’s leadership style is fostering ethnic mutual fear and suspicion in the country.
The 84-year-old Akintoye, who was the Deputy Youth Leader of Action Group (AG) in the First Republic, stated this while reminiscing about the circumstances that brought an end to the First Republic in an interview with Sunday Vanguard.
According him, ethnic mutual fear and suspicion were the underlying factors in the January 16, 1966 coup and July 29, 1966 counter-coups that prepared the way for the Nigerian Civil War.
He said that after the war, the Igbos continued to be treated badly despite the military administration of General Yakubu Gowon declaring “No Victor, No Vanquished”.
“Gowon meant well, but gradually it turned out that he couldn’t make that a reality. So, a lot of discriminatory actions were taken against people who had just lost the war and the effects were bad on the people,” Akintoye said.
The elder statesman, who was a Senator in the Second Republic, lamented that the Buhari administration has failed to promote national cohesion to engender development.
“Today, Nigeria has gone down more than it should ordinarily do. The President is fostering mutual fear and suspicion in Nigeria. His style of government is promoting fear in Nigeria,” he said.
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