…Says they are shameless fair weather friends
By Henry Umoru
ABUJA—FORMER Military Governor of Kaduna State, Colonel Abubakar Umar (retd) yesterday urged the President- elect, General Muhammadu Buhari, retd to be mindful of those he described as mere fair weather friends as he takes over governance in May 29.
In a statement issued yesterday, Umar also urged Buhari to ignore what he described as the treacherous actions of those opportunists who were presently dumping the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP for the All Progressives Congress, APC barely two weeks after the Presidential election.
The former military also assured President Goodluck Jonathan of his unalloyed loyalty and “steadfast” friendship as he prepares to face life outside power.
According to Colonel Umar in his statement, “A famous political scientist once warned that”the career of a politician is too uncertain to make any firm commitment to him. “Although I find this warning immoral and distasteful it truly represents the attitude and behavioural pattern of most of the so called friends and loyalists of men in power. Most are mere fair weather friends.
“Come 29th May 2015 President Jonathan will handover power to the winner of the 28th March 2015 Presidential election Gen Muhammadu Buhari. With this seeming loss of political power he will also lose a large retinue of friends and loyalists; people who would swear by his name a couple of weeks ago. The President like most of his predecessors will suffer the pain of betrayal.
“I however assure him that there are still genuine friends who will be by him through life’s challenges out of power.
“I also wish to advise him to ignore the treacherous actions of those opportunists who are decamping from his party, the PDP to APC at this late hour. These are people who will not hesitate to renounce God in their pursuit of ephemeral worldly power. They are worthless and a great embarrassment to decent people and bad role models to future generations.
“Let me use this opportunity to dispel the wicked rumour that my closeness with President Jonathan has always been on account of some material favours he extended to me. Nothing can be further from the truth.
”I swear and affirm that I have never, directly or indirectly, been awarded an oil or non – oil contract by President Jonathan or his Government , as evidence will prove later. What I received and cherish above all is tremendous respect from the President. I intend to expatiate on this in due course.
“Let me also express my respect and admiration for President Jonathan’s nationalistic and altruistic decision to concede and congratulate the winner even before the final results were officially announced. The President behaved like the statesman I have always known him to be, thereby saving the country assured implosion had he behaved otherwise.”
