What Nigerians think about protest against ‘cabal’ in presidency

A group of Nigerians on Monday staged a protest against some persons identified as members of a cabal allegedly hijacking the reins of power and running down the government of President Muhammadu Buhari. Daily Trust Saturday sought opinions about the protest.

Dominic Eze Uzu, 59, Journalist, Chikun, Kaduna

The protest is a welcome one because the so called cabal has destroyed Buhari’s virtues as far as Nigerians are concerned. They have caged him to the detriment of Nigeria and Nigerians and whatever integrity the president had in the past have been rubbished. He should do away with them so that we can have the Buhari that Nigerians yearned for. If these people continue to lurk around him, believe me Nigeria will not move an inch.

Eunice Nnachi, 38, Journalist, Yenagoa

The anti-cabal protest is a welcome development. During the president’s first tenure, the issue of cabal was a big hindrance to the system. It got the point that President Buhari could not dissolve or re-jig his cabinet to bring in better hands and change the ones that were not performing. He allowed them four years, which was not healthy to the life of his administration.
I think Nigerians should rise up now to fight against the resident reappointing the cabal into government, it is a noble struggle aimed at fostering good administration for Nigerians in this second term. The president is a man of integrity; he needs space, not bad influencers to actualize his dreams for Nigeria.

Aisha Bello, 34, Social Worker, Kurmin Mashi, Kaduna

I am not into politics but I feel the protest against the ‘cabal’ is not a priority to the country because we have more pressing issues. All we want is a better country and we do not want anybody to sabotage it. We want a government free of any kind of cabal, if there is. However, the president is at liberty to work with people he feels will help him move the country to the next level, which is one thing we should always bear in mind.
When you are heading a place, one of the important things you think about is the team that you will work with because it will reflect in the quality of your leadership and achievement, so the issue of cabal or Godfathers is not necessary but the people that will work for the country is of utmost priority.

Lewis Dudafa, 34, Businessman, Yenagoa

The protest against the cabal is directly the voice of Nigerians. I believe in change and change must make this country move to the next level as championed by President Buhari during the campaigns. We have millions of people in this country, and out of this number, a lot of people are well qualified to handle this government’s responsibility, why rely on the cabal that doesn’t mean well for the common good of Nigerians?
The president should consider national interest in making his appointments; he should bring capable hands that will build a strong economy for this country. The cabal arrangement should be discouraged because we want people to be considered based on what they have to offer and not who they know.

Ere Tuebi Forcebry, 63, retired civil servant, Yenagoa

If President Muhammadu Buhari, wants to work to meet up with the expectations of Nigerians, he should do away with the cabal. The president cannot do anything meaningfully with the same team he used during his first tenure. Do you know that this cabal almost made the president lose the last election if not that majority of Nigerians still believe in his integrity?
The president must be careful this time around in choosing the people that would work with him. That cabal is not for the good of this country.

Comrade Wilfred Frank Ogbotobo, Coordinator, South-South Legacy Forum, Yenagoa

Nigerians voted for President Muhammadu Buhari, and not for any cabal. A look at the president’s first term shows that his followers were not happy due to the activities of these men who almost controlled the government, so the cabal do not meant well for Mr. President, they are his real enemies.
Buhari means well for the country, and nobody should distract him in the name of cabal, he has best intentions for this country, those Nigerians who are protesting against the cabal in his government are his real followers, they mean well for the common man.
Former President Goodluck Jonathan was a victim of this same cabal; so, the fight against cabal is a welcome development. We must be active and vigilant in this second tenure of President Buhari because we cannot afford to abandon him to the enemies within.

John Femi Adi, 50, Public Commentator, Kudendan, Kaduna

Governance is all about trust, loyalty and working with those you believe can deliver whatever dictates and orders you give to them. The word cabal is coined from the political atmosphere and for those of us who believe that governance is about all these I have mentioned, I do not see anything wrong in the president having close allies who work with him.
I want to believe that some persons who feel threatened by those allies they refer to as cabal, perhaps sponsored the protest. I had expected a protest against lack of power supply, or on issues of development and not on the ground of individuals appointed to a particular position, and that is why I do not concede to those kinds of sponsored protests. It is an attempt to bring down the president. The man has completed his first tenure and we did not hear that he is corrupt. Even though the progress might not be as fast as we expected, but we are getting somewhere.