Richard
Grenell, a former envoy of the United States of America, has warned
Nigerians not to elect former military dictator, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari
(retd), of The All Progressives Congress in the March 28 Presidential
election. The former spokesman for four United States Ambassadors to the
United Nations, noted that Buhari if elected will be a diaster for
Nigeria and Africa, stressing that he will signal trouble for the West’s
fight against ISIS and terrorism throughout the Middle East. He urges
Nigerians to re-elect President Goodluck Jonathan of the Peoples
Democratic Party, PDP.
He
made this known in an article titled, Nigeria on the brink and
published on Washington Times, of Thursday, March 19, 2015. Read Full
article below: With the polls closed in Israel, international election
observers now turn their attention to the Nigerian elections on March
28. The choice for the leader of Africa’s most populous country pits
Goodluck Jonathan from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) against
Mohammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The
decision by the roughly 73 million registered Nigerian voters could
have a profound impact on the future of Africa. But Western foreign
policy observers pre-occupied with the rise of ISIS in the Middle East
should wake up to the reality unfolding in Nigeria. Opposition candidate
General Buhari wants Sharia law throughout Nigeria. In fact, he wants
it everywhere. “I will continue to show openly and inside me the total
commitment to the Sharia movement that is sweeping all over Nigeria,”
Mr. Buhari said. “God willing, we will not stop the agitation for the
total implementation of the Sharia in the country.”
Agitation?
Is this an indication that Mr. Buhari supports violence because the end
goal of the terrorist attacks throughout Nigeria and Africa is an
Islamic state? It is a legitimate question that should be asked by
leaders of the Obama administration. Boko Haram has pledged its
allegiance and support to ISIS. The northern Nigerian based Islamic
terrorist group wants Sharia law throughout Nigeria and beyond. They are
also actively terrorizing Chad, Niger and Cameroon with their goal of
an Islamic state. Mr. Buhari has also spoken sympathetically about
members of the terrorist group Boko Haram, has cautioned against a rush
to judgement on its members and has personally been selected by the
terrorist group to lead its negotiations with the Government of Nigeria.
Mr. Buhari’s election as Nigeria’s head of state would be a disaster
for Africa.
It
would also signal trouble for the West’s fight against ISIS and
terrorism throughout the Middle East. Islamic radicals have Africa on
their target list and young Nigerians are reported to be interested in
ISIS’ messages. Nigeria is at a tipping point. Tunisia, where the Arab
Spring uprisings began, saw a deadly Islamic terrorist attack at a
popular museum killing 23 people this week. ISIS attacked a hospital in
Libya within the last few days and Boko Haram killed 54 people with 4
suicide bombers in Nigeria last week. The West, and specifically the
Obama Administration, needs to wake up to the growing problem. The
French government has been fighting ISIS in Africa for the past two
years, starting in Mali but with little help from the Obama
Administration. As terrorism grows in yet another region of the globe,
American and Western officials should realize they are not stopping the
advancements of Islamic radicals.
Al-Qaida
is not dead and ISIS is not a JV team. The recent moves by the White
House against Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu signal a willingness by
President Obama and his team to intervene in foreign elections. The
sitting President Goodluck Jonathan has committed to defeating Boko
Haram and overseeing a free and fair election. The Nigerian economy has
been growing faster than South Africa’s. Imagine what Nigeria could do
for Africa if it was also free of Boko Haram’s violence. The Obama
Administration should be doing more to ensure Africa’s most populous
country doesn’t slip away.
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