Nigeria difficult to administer — IBB

Former Military President General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida says Nigeria is difficult to administer.

He described Nigeria as a complex and difficult country because of its diversities and peculiarities.

According to him, the diversities always give room for contrasting opinions and debates along geopolitical lines which sometimes lead to tension and bad blood.

Speaking yesterday when the House of Representatives Minority Cacus led by Minority Leader Ndudi Elumelu visited him at his uphill

residence in Minna, Niger State, he also described Nigeria as vibrant and interesting.

He urged political leaders not to be intimidated by the complexities of the country, but focus on harmonising the peculiarities into an advantage.

He said the country’s founding father’s fought relentlessly to build a strong and virile entity despite the inherent challenges.

He said the National Assembly members must not allow the struggle of the founding fathers to be vain by building on the bond of unity which upon the country was found.

“I am passionate in observing what is going on in the country, I develop lots of interest in the on-goings across the country and I think the leadership of the House of Representatives, the Speaker, the opposition leadership and everyone, I think you are all doing well.

“You represent the people and it is what the people wish that you take up. I want to commend you for doing your job honourably and urge you not to give up,” he said.

He said having scaled the initial hurdles that led to the emergence of the principal officers, members must settle down to the business of making laws that would have direct bearing on the people.

He called on them not to play politics with the security challenges currently bedevilling the country but set aside their political differences and work with their colleagues as well as the executive arm in addressing the menace.

Earlier, Elumelu said they were in Minna to introduce themselves as the leadership of the minority caucus of the House of Representatives and thank the former military leader for the role he played in their emergence.

Elumelu, who prayed to God to grant the former leader good health, pledged the readiness of the members to provide good governance to the people of Nigeria.