Dr Ahmad Abubakar Mahmud Gumi, a prominent Islamic scholar in northern Nigeria said the way President Mohammadu Buhari began his administration in 2015, gave hints on what to expect from his time in office. He said, the complaints and agitations across the country never came as a surprise.
The Islamic cleric said Buhari promised Nigerians change, but he is now afraid of Nigerians demand for a change.
He said, "Nobody is contented; everybody is complaining and I see the economic factor because the government is not here to manage the economy.
"It is here to stop stealing, prevent stealing or fight corruption. Fighting corruption is completely a different matter altogether than managing economy because in economy as they say capital is coward.
"If you want heavy capital to come into your area, it goes only to where there is stability and not where there is instability. There has to be economic, social and political stability. Nobody brings money to where there is turmoil.
"The way this government started its governance is through attacks. It is a government that started steering murky waters.
"I think the protests by Nigerians, honestly speaking nothing and I say nothing in Nigeria is working as it should be. Nothing. So, there is truly, truly need for a change.
"In fact, when the government came with the slogan of change they said the change starts with you. So, you see the government wants change and Nigerians are talking about change. Things have to change.
"However, with the kind of situation we currently have in the country, it is apparent that the current government has issues with the change it is advocating. I saw it coming. I knew there will be trouble in Nigeria because not everybody in Nigeria wants change."
Using force against protesters, unwise
Former vice president Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has reacted to the sh**ting of unarmed innocent #EndSARS protesters by the Nigerian army at Lekki, Lagos State.
Atiku said while it appears hoodlums have infiltrated the protest, it was unwise of the Buhari administration to unleash brute force on a people demanding for reforms that'll improve the living conditions of the people.
He said, "I am saddened by the loss of lives following the infiltration of hoodlums in the #EndSARS peaceful protests.
"My appeal to the Buhari-led administration is to not succumb to the temptation to use further maximum force on #EndSARS protesters.
"The #EndSARS protesters are not unreasonable; they mean well and acted responsibly. This is the time to appeal to their reason by speedily implementing their reasonable demands. The use of maximum force will aggravate, rather than placate.
"When the government shows that it cares, the citizens will farewell. Now is the time to apply reason, rather than brute force."
Nigerians are frustrated
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has called on the president Muhammadu Buhari administration to listen to Nigerians and attend to their needs.
Obasanjo who made the call on Monday while on a visit to the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, described the #EndSARS protest as the product of an extensive agitation by the Nigerian youth that needed to be attended to by the government.
He said, “More than 65 per cent of our population are within the ages of 18 and 30; they are not only struggling to acquire education, they are also aspiring for the best that life can offer them.
“Some of them didn’t even get educated, while those who are educated are getting frustrated because of lack of opportunities. We must realise that the lid on the boiling steam would have to be removed.
“But, I believe that there are windows of opportunity which the government can explore to show that it cares about the people’s welfare, especially the youth, as the father of the country and particularly, as the father of the youth.
“Fortunately, the President has children and he knows how youths behave.
“I believe that the opportunities can still be taken to let the youth know that he, as a father, understands their plight and that his government understands their plight and he is ready to make life better for them.”