2018: Buhari warns against mixing politics with religion

As the nation prepares for the 2018 electioneering, President Muhammadu Buhari has charged politicians to play politics by the rules and avoid inflaming passions by mixing politics with religion and ethnicity. The President, in his new year message to the nation, also charged politicians to conduct political discourse “with civility, decorum and in a constitutional manner”

According to him, ” Such must be avoided at all cost if we Are to live in harmony” Political activities have often heightened ethnic divide, provoked sentiments and produce tensions resulting from use of foul languages and sometimes, outright blackmails with the intension to gain political advantages.

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But the President reminded Nigerians, especially the political class that ” we all have a collective responsibility to strengthen our democracy and entrench the rule of law.” In a nationwide broadcast, the President also urged Nigerians to “learn from the South Western States who have successfully internalized religion, ethnicity and politics.”

“As the electioneering season approaches politicians must avoid exploiting ethnicity and religion by linking ethnicity with religion and religion with politics. Such must be avoided at all costs if we are to live in harmony.” The President reiterated his earlier resolve to cut the cost of government as a way of checking corruption and extravagance even as he also urged Nigerians to allow the current Presidential system to grow and mature

” There is a strong case for a closer look at the cost of government and for the public services long used to extravagance, waste and corruption to change for the better. I assure you that the government is ever receptive to ideas which will improve governance and contribute to the country’s peace and stability.”

Buhari maintained his resolve to distance himself from current discussions on restructuring, adding however that the nation’s problem was more of “process than structure”
“In respect of political developments, I have kept a close watch on the on-going debate about “Restructuring”. No human law or edifice is perfect. Whatever structure we develop must periodically be perfected according to changing circumstances and the country’s socio-economic developments.

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We Nigerians can be very impatient and want to improve our conditions faster than may be possible considering our resources and capabilities. When all the aggregates of nationwide opinions are considered, my firm view is that our problems are more to do with process than structure.”

“We tried the Parliamentary system: we jettisoned it. Now there are shrill cries for a return to the Parliamentary structure. In older democracies, these systems took centuries to evolve so we cannot expect a copied system to fit neatly our purposes. We must give a long period of trial and improvement before the system we have adopted is anywhere near fit for purpose”

Tony Ailemen, Abuja