Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has called on the government to dialogue with protesters and refrain from the use of force as means of bringing the current crisis to an end.
Obasanjo in a statement on Wednesday said, “We are in a critical moment in this crisis and Mr. President must act now before it is two late. This time demands leadership and mature leadership at such.”
He said, “Our individual and collective actions now and in the next few days will determine where we will go as a nation. May God help us in taking the right steps in the right direction”.
Obasanjo asked Buhari to restrain the military and other security agencies from using brute force as a way of ending the crisis.
He said, “The shooting and murder of unarmed protesters, no matter the level of provocation, has never been effective in suppressing public anger and frustration. Instead, such actions only reinforce the anger and frustration of the populace and close the window of dialogue and peaceful resolution.
“It is clear that Mr President and his lieutenants did not exhaust the opportunities for dialogue with the protesters before resorting to the use of force.”
He said, “We are at a critical moment in this crisis and the President must act now before it is too late. This time demands leadership and mature leadership at such.
“It is imperative that leaders at all levels, starting with Mr President, must demonstrate meekness, humanity and sincerity in meeting the legitimate demands of the protesters and ensuring that justice is served where it must be served. These are the potent ways of ending this crisis now.”
