I warned about Buhari’s government, yet Nigerians didn’t listen – Oritsejafor

Ayo Oritsejafor, former president of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), said he had warned Nigerians before the 2015 general election that the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari would fail, yet his warnings were ignored.

During an appearance on Channels TV’s Politics Today on Monday, Oritsejafor explained that he had anticipated difficulties under the Buhari administration and had voiced his concerns prior to the government’s inauguration.

“In 2014, I tried to warn this nation of the direction it was going,” he said.

“I would say it plainly: when the Buhari government was preparing to take office, I knew it would become a mess, and since then, the situation has deteriorated even further.”

He said that the present state of the country has prompted him to resume public commentary on governance and leadership after a period of relative silence.

He explained that his pastoral duties make it impossible to ignore the hardships faced by ordinary Nigerians.

“It has gotten to a point where I feel I must begin to say something, because I pastor people, they are human beings, they are Nigerians, and we must begin to hold people accountable for what’s happening,” he said.

Oritsejafor also addressed claims that his recent silence on political matters signified complicity, especially given that he was seen as supporting former President Goodluck Jonathan during the 2015 election.

Rejecting the allegation, he said he withdrew from public political debates after repeated attempts to persuade Nigerians to weigh the consequences of their choices proved futile.

“I kept quiet because sometimes when you talk to people, when you try to make them understand that what is happening, and what’s going to happen, is going to be terrible, and you try, and try and then no one seems to be listening, the best thing is to withdraw,” he said.

“You can’t force people to listen to you, you can’t force people to take your advice, you can’t force people to follow what you’re saying.”

He added that he had continued to observe developments from the sidelines, watching events unfold over