Sowore: We trusted Buhari but he disappointed us

Omoyele Sowore, publisher of SaharaReporters and a 2019 presidential aspirant, says not much has changed under President Muhammadu Buhari whose candidacy in 2015 cane with a promise of change.

In a town hall meeting held in Montreal, Canada over the weekend, Sowore touched on the various challenges that have “drawn the country back” over the years and said that a determined and enterprising people like Nigerians deserve leadership that truly reflects their character.

“Many of us believed and trusted President Buhari when he promised change, unfortunately not much changed under his leadership,” he said.

He alleged that corruption is as endemic as it used to be, and looters in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) simply crossed over to the APC where they were welcomed with open arms.

“You cannot give what you do not have – Buhari and his government do not have the capacity to give us the Nigeria we deserve,” he said.

Thanking his audience for the warm reception, Sowore sought permission to return to Nigeria and create a Nigeria people can be proud of.

Sowore also lamented the security situation in the country.

“Right from the airport, you sense the absence of security. Officials paid to guard our ports are interested only in: ‘Anything for the boys?’ So, we have the situation where absolutely no one is checking what comes into our country or leave our shores, as long as you can pay,” he said.

He added that despite all the money supposedly spent, Boko Haram is still menacing parts of our country.

“Today, every Nigerian lives in fear of the dreaded Herdsmen who, through official apathy, roam and kill freely.”

Describing the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and PDP as two sides of the same coin, Sowore said Nigeria hasn’t got a problem that Nigerians cannot fix.

“We are not bigger than China or India and we are not more complex than the United States of America. Our problem is poor, inept and visionless leadership. All over the world, Nigerians are noted for their can-do attitude, instead of our leaders tapping into this huge reservoir of World-class brains, they depend on finite products like oil. When we get our priorities right, oil will be our worst product, people will be our best product,” he said.