A former spokesman for the United States Ambassadors to the United Nations (UN), Richard Grenell has sounded a note of warning to Nigerians against voting for the of All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari, saying his candidature would spell doom for the entire African continent.
Grenell made the call via a piece published in the Washington Times on Thursday, March 19, 2015 and titled: Nigeria on the brink, where he warned Nigerians that General Buhari was striving to entrench Sharia law in the country.
Grenell warned that the success of the APC and Buhari in the upcoming election in the country will stunt the fight against insurgency in the country and the continent in general.
He said: “Western foreign policy observers pre-occupied with the rise of ISIS in the Middle East should wake up to the reality unfolding in Nigeria. Opposition candidate General Buhari wants Sharia law throughout Nigeria. In fact, he wants it everywhere.
“Is this an indication that Buhari supports violence because the end goal of the terrorist attacks throughout Nigeria and Africa is an Islamic state? It is a legitimate question that should be asked by leaders of the Obama administration.
“Boko Haram has pledged its allegiance and support to ISIS. The Northern Nigerian based Islamic terrorist group wants Sharia law throughout the country and beyond. They are also actively terrorising Chad, Niger and Cameroon with their goal of an Islamic state.
“Buhari has also spoken sympathetically about members of the terrorist group Boko Haram, has cautioned against a rush to judgment on its members and has personally been selected by the terrorist group to lead its negotiations with the Government of Nigeria.
“Buhari’s election as Nigeria’s head of state would be a disaster for Africa. It would also signal trouble for the West’s fight against ISIS and terrorism throughout the Middle East.”
Grenell therefore urged the West, especially the President Obama administration to get behind President Goodluck Jonathan, as his fight against terrorism and transformation of the Nigerian economy deserves commendation.
He said: “The Nigerian economy has been growing faster than South Africa’s. Imagine what Nigeria could do for Africa if it was also free of Boko Haram’s violence. The Obama Administration should be doing more to ensure Africa’s most populous country doesn’t slip away.
“Islamic radicals have Africa on their target list and young Nigerians are reported to be interested in ISIS’ messages. Nigeria is at a tipping point. The West, and specifically the Obama Administration, needs to wake up to the growing problem.”
