Obasanjo calls for rethink in the fight against insurgency

By our reporter/ Elder statesman and former president of Nigeria, Olusegun Obasanjo has called for a rethink in the strategy in the fight against insurgency.

Obasanjo, who made the disclosure at an event organised by the Global Peace Foundation and Vision Africa in Abuja on Monday, said political will should be matched with “political action” to tackle the country’s security challenges.

“The problem of insurgency will not go away, if all we are using is the stick,” Obasanjo said.

“We may suppress it, and keep it down a bit, but we have to use ‘carrot and stick’ together to effectively tackle the problems.”

Obasanjo further stated that President Muhammadu Buhari has done his best and Nigerians should not expect anything more from him.

According to him, Nigerians still expecting anything more from Buhari, are “whipping a dead horse”.

“President Buhari has done his best,” he said.

“That is what he can do. If we are expecting anything more than what he has done or what he is doing, that means we’re whipping a dead horse and there is no need.

“Then, where do we go from here? We cannot fold our hands. I believe that is part of what we’re doing here and what we continue to be doing. How do we prepare for post-Buhari? Buhari has done his best. My prayer is that God will spare his life to see his term through.

“What should we do to make post-Buhari better than what we have now? That is our responsibility now, because it concerns all of us.”