Former Governor of Osun State, Olagunsoye Oyinlọla, has in an interview with BBC Yoruba, expressed regret for being one of prominent Yoruba leaders in the Southwest who brought President Muhammadu Buhari to Power.
He said they were convinced at the time, that Buhari was the kind of leader Nigeria needed to overcome the challenges of the Jonathan era, especially his pledge to restructure the country, fight corruption and insecurity to a still, but now realized that they were fooled.
More troubling though according to him, was the fact that former President Olusegun Obasanjo, had warned them against supporting Buhari's candidacy, but they never heeded.
Although the former Governor did not specify whether Obasanjo's advice was made prior to 2015 or 2019 general elections, he did say Buhari's failure to keep to his promises, has vindicated Obasanjo.
Oyinlola expressed his displeasure over Buhari’s reversal of his assurance to embark on restructuring – a selling point of his presidency to the Yoruba people during the elections.
He said, “I am saddened that Buhari did not know what restructuring is now. I know the roles I played for Buhari to become the President of Nigeria but sadly, none of the promises he made had been fulfilled, especially on the security issues.
“It was like Boko Haram would be forgotten within six months of Buhari's arrival. Olusegun Obasanjo warned us that Buhari cannot carry the burden of Nigeria but we did not listen to him.”
President Muhammadu Buhari had recently referred to those agitating for restructuring as 'dumb' because according to him, they do not know what they are asking for.
Buhari who made the statement through the Executive Secretary, Revenue Mobilization, Allocation and Fiscal Commission, Alhaji Mohammed Bello Shehu, said if many Nigerians are asked, "what are they going to restructure, you will find out that they have nothing to talk about."
“Those calling for whether separation or restructuring, some of them I will say are very naive or even mischievously dangerous. Those agitating for restructuring are ignorant of war and its consequences because Nigeria is a dominant force in West Africa,” he said.