By Mohammed Suleiman, Dutse
Former Governor of Jigawa Stateha Alhaji Sule Lamido has slammed members of the Council of State over the confidence vote passed on President Ahmed Bola Tinubu’s administration describing it as self adulation
The council met at the State House in Abuja on Tuesday for it’s maiden meeting since Tinubu became Nigerian president on May 29, 2023 when reacted to the recent #EndBadGovernance Protests and condemned the call by some of the protesters for the resignation of President Bola Tinubu.
The council of state whose membership includes former presidents and heads of state, Governors, the incumbent’s President and his Vice, is an organ of the federal government saddled with advising the executive on policy making.
During the meeting, Ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo was not present at the meeting attended by Jonathan, Buhari, Gowon and Abubakar.
Former presidents Goodluck Jonathan and Muhammadu Buhari attended the meeting physically while Yakubu Gowon and Abdulsalami Abubakar—former heads of state—joined virtually.
The Council however commended Nigerians at large for resisting any unconstitutional move to change government.
Lamido who was taken aback by the Vote of confidence passed on President Tinubu by his predecessors and some incumbent Governors said it amounts to self praise.
He said it would have been more acceptable if Nigerians were allowed to pass the vote on their collective performance in the Last 16 years.
“Ironically rather than allowing Nigerians to pass judgment on their collective performance in the last sixteen years, it is they who are patting their backs in adulation of their performance.
“Passing a vote of confidence on the performance of President Tinubu and by extension on their’s shows a clear disconnect between them and the people they are leading.”
He said whatever situation Nigeria finds itself today was also caused by the same persons that gathered to pass the vote of confidence.
Lamido used the story of a 17year old Nigerian youth who is committed to his job of pushing wheel barrow to erk out a living for himself and other siblings rather than join criminal gangs as anology to portray how myopic Nigerian Leaders could be.
Lamido who posted on his Facebook Wall a video clip of the 17 year old lad who was being accosted by a kind hearted Nigerian that offered to assist him to quit the daily huddle of wheelbarrow pushing, interrogated him on his experience.
The kind hearted Nigerian offered the Lad N10, 000, for which he prostrated and was full of gratitude.
Continuing, Lamido said,
“By the testimony of this lad, he is 17 years old. He has been pushing wheelbarrow ferrying loads for a living for the last ten years. The maximum amount he had ever made in a day was Two Thousand Naira.
“Incredibly at the age of 10 years, he chose to push wheelbarrow to support himself and his poor family rather than go into crime which is a very tempting thing for a boy of his age.
“But more worthy of commendation is the manner his parents rooted this lad in cultural values. His show of gratitude for the support/gift of Ten Thousand Naira given him with a ‘dubale’ prostrating on the ground says alot about the character of his parents. They are indeed very honorable people!
“Now coming to the reason for this post. This lad was born just about the time when Goodluck Jonathan was about to assume the presidency.
“So he was born under the environment of full blown democracy with basic expectations of the goodies of life spanning through Jonathan, Buhari, and now President Tinubu time!
“Today, there are millions of boys like this lad rooming our streets all over Nigeria without any certainty of any future but that of doom.
“Every indices of a failed leadership is now manifestingly clear. Nigeria is turning into a nation of hopelessness and helplessiness. Pain and agony are now the norms of life!
“In the just concluded National Council of State meeting, those assembled there were the ones who have been at helm of our affairs this lad was born into.
“For those who may not know, The National Council of State is made up of; the President and Vice President, all former Presidents, Chief Justice of Nigeria, all former Chief Justices, and all State Governors; all others gathered there are all in attendance.
“Therefore what ever situations we are in, good or bad was caused under their watch and are responsible for it.
“Rather than allowing Nigerians to pass judgment on their collective performance in the last sixteen years, it is they who are patting their backs in adulation of their performance.
“This lad pushing wheelbarrow for a living will dam be hard put comprehending the meaning of ‘vote of confidence’! He will simply ask, has Nigeria any conscience?