Secondus tells Buhari to emulate Mandela

Emulate Mandela – Secondus tells
Buhari

The national leadership of the Peoples Democratic
Party, PDP, has counseled the President-elect,
General Muhammadu Buhari, to see himself as the
father of the nation who should emulate the late
South African President, Nelson Mandela.
The party was reacting to a statement credited to
Buhari where he said he will not forgive those
who perpetrated election violence during the 2015
general elections, when he played host to some
stakeholders and traditional rulers from Rivers
State.
The Deputy National Chairman of the party, Uche
Secondus, while speaking with journalists in
Abuja, said as the President- elect, Buhari should
comment as a father on issues that may be
brought before him, rather than take sides
especially on issues awaiting adjudication and
before a panel of inquiry or the judiciary.
He said the President-elect should try to deal
with such issues with the passion of a father to
all irrespective of party affiliation, saying that
such utterances do not show him as an elder
statesman.
Secondus said: “The utterances of the President -
elect when he received a delegation of some
traditional rulers from Rivers State do not portray
him as a statesman. He is the president-elect
and indeed the father of all. He should exercise
caution and restraint in some issues, especially
when such issues are still in court.
“The election tribunals in the country and even in
Rivers State have just commenced sitting and
unguarded statements could be seen as
prejudicial and give negative signals.
“The president-elect should emulate the late
President of South Africa, Nelson Mandela who
assumed office as president of South Africa at
such a critical time in the history of South Africa.