~ Says regime marked with killings, kidnapping, looting, inflation, lope-sided appointments, unemployment,etc
By Tony Okafor, Awka
Barely two weeks to rounding off his eight years in office, the Archbishop Ecclesiastical Province of the Niger, Most Reverend Alexander Ibezim, has chided the regime of President Muhammadu Buhari, describing it as very challenging to Nigerians.
He said the regime inflicted all manner of hardship and suffering on the citizens.
The Archbishop stated these while delivering his presidential charge at the weekend during the 1st Session of the 13th Synod of the Awka Diocese of the Anglican Church, held at St Peter’s Church, Agulu, in the Anaocha Local Government Area of Anambra State.
He said the Buhari regime was marked with killings, kidnapping, looting and inflation, adding that the government failed to resolve the numerous agitations across the land, noting that even unemployment and hardship that he promised to address on assumption of office were not attended to.
The Archbishop said, “Nigeria as a nation is blessed by God with human and material resources which ought to be utilised for the good of the people, but unfortunately, the resources that are meant for the benefit of all have been hijacked by few in authority.
“These eight years have been very challenging. The administration was marked with incessant killings, kidnappings, unresolved agitations, looting and inflation, increased rate of unemployment and hardship, lopsided appointments, and fuel scarcity.
“The people are yet to breathe the air of democracy. Our politicians show little or no interest in the people they are supposed to be representing. The people are tired and they are yearning for a new Nigeria.”
The Archbishop however urged Nigerians to keep their hopes alive, assuring that a new Nigeria where justice, fairness, equity, peace and progress reign would emerge at the end.
Speaking further, Ibezim who doubles as the Bishop of Awka Diocese, commended Nigerians for changing the campaign and voting narratives of the country in the 2023 polls despite the excruciating economic hardship.
He condemned INEC’s performance in the recent presidential election especially as regards the credibility of the electoral process, noting that the institution failed the hope of millions of Nigerians.
The Anglican prelate urged the incoming government to place the interest of the people above ethnicity and acrimony, stressing that a progressive city would thrive on fairness and justice.
While Ibezim lauded the introduction of new naira notes, he knocked the Federal Government authorities for subjecting the people to intense hardship through poor circulation of the new notes.
He urged the Central Bank to ensure adequate circulation of the new notes before the 31st December deadline so as to avoid subjecting the people to another phase of suffering.
