The Church of Brethren in Nigeria, better known as Ekklesiyar Yan’Uwa A Nigeria (EYN), has faulted the security and economic outcomes of the Federal Government led by President Muhammadu Buhari, saying Nigeria has never had it so bad.
President of the EYN, Rev Joel Billi, who on Wednesday addressed the 76th General Council, an annual meeting of leaders of the church at its headquarters in Kwarhi, Adamawa State, said insecurity and economic woes have become Nigeria’s twin problems ravaging everyone under Buhari.
“Never in the history of Nigeria has a government thrown the country into such economic crisis as we are witnessing today,” the EYN President said, adding that the situation arose from poor economic decisions and programmes of the Federal Government.
He enumerated the “failed purported currency redesign, incessant power outages from the national grid and rising inflation” as some of the sources of the economic downturn, which he said had resulted in a high cost of living for everyone.
Still, on the economy, the EYN president wondered why the trillions of naira that the federal government has spent on fuel subsidies had not brought the price of petroleum products to government-approved prices.
“So, who is the government subsidizing,” he asked, wondering why Nigeria’s refineries are not working despite the government’s repeated assurance to that effect.
The EYN president who admitted that “some normalcy has been restored in some areas,” expressed the regret that Nigeria “is still witnessing security challenges that require urgent attention,” adding that armed banditry, kidnap for ransom, and insurgency are still very prevalent in different parts of the country.
Speaking further on insecurity during a news interview after his speech at the General Church Council in the main auditorium of the headquarters Church, Rev Joel Billi said that considering Buhari’s background as a general, his output had been surprising.
“Buhari failed us as a retired General, as a former military head of state. He promised us that within three months of his administration as president, insecurity would be over. Unfortunately, after almost eight full years, insecurity has been on the increase. He has disappointed us,” he said.
He expressed the wish that things will be different with President-elect Bola Ahmed Tinubu and prayed for God’s wisdom and political will for Tinubu to do the right things.