“Many Of Us Who Welcomed His Appointment With Great Hope Are Now Deeply Disappointed” — Yakubu Sani Wudi Knocks Defence Minister Musa Over Divisive Comments
A Nigerian lecturer and researcher at King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Saudi Arabia, Yakubu Sani Wudi, has expressed deep disappointment over what he described as divisive remarks by the Minister of Defence, Major General Christopher Musa (rtd).
In a statement on Saturday, Wudi said he was among those who were highly optimistic about Musa’s appointment following the resignation of former Minister Badaru Abubakar.
“Some months ago, I was among those who were highly optimistic about the appointment of Major General Christopher Musa as Minister of Defence following the resignation of Mr. Badaru Abubakar. When his nomination was announced, many Nigerians welcomed it with excitement and confidence,” he said.
He recalled that at the time, some highly respected elders who understood certain realities from within had cautioned him.
Wudi said their optimism was based on General Musa’s record as Chief of Defence Staff, which they believed would translate into patriotism and national unity in office.
“Looking at General Musa’s apparent record as Chief of Defence Staff, we believed he would bring to the office a strong sense of patriotism and national unity. We expected a leader who would see Nigeria first, not religion, region, or tribe,” he stated.
He however said he found the minister’s recent interview on Channels Television troubling.
“That was why I found his recent remarks on Channels Television deeply troubling. His comments, in my view, appeared unnecessarily divisive and gave the impression of someone identifying more strongly with a particular section of the country than with the broader Nigerian identity expected of a national leader,” Wudi said.
He added that many Nigerians who initially welcomed the appointment are now disappointed.
“Many of us who initially welcomed his appointment with great hope are now deeply disappointed,” he concluded.
