Nigerians Don’t Trust Buhari – Cardinal Onaiyekan

Obiajulu Joel Nwolu

Emeritus Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Abuja, Cardinal John Onaiyekan, has said that Nigerians are desirous of a government to trust.

This was contained in the cardinal’s reaction to President Buhari’s Christmas message when he appeared on a Channels Television programme, Sahara Reporters reports.

The clergyman blamed the rising distrust I Buhari’s administration to numerous instances of deceit peddled by government officials.

He said, “It is positive that President Buhari recognises that his government has a heavy liability of trust deficits and it is not good for a nation that the citizens cannot trust their government so that even when the government is trying to do the right thing, there is always the feeling, ‘let us wait and see, maybe it’s one of those things again’, our government must take a look at its modus operandi, its way of operation.”

“Up till now, they ought to be able to know why is it that they have a trust deficit, why is it that people don’t seem to want to trust them. If you ask me basically, you trust someone who is truthful but if you have too many cases of the government saying one thing and doing perhaps another, the recipe for a trust deficit.”

He continued: “We’ve heard a lot said about fake news, about massive deceit, this is not correct and if for example, we were told that the Boko Haram has been defeated and they are still on, people will ask, what do you mean, are you serious so that any time again there is an announcement on Boko Haram, people will say, well we wait and see until we are really sure.

“Nigerians are ready to listen to the truth but when they are consistently deceived, it is neither good for the government nor good for the governed. Here, everyone has to do an examination of conscience. I throw the ball therefore back at not only President Buhari himself but all those who are with him running the affairs of this nation. We will be really happy to have a government to trust.”

This post was written by Obiajulu Joel Nwolu.

The views expressed here belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect our views and opinions.

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