A Kaduna-based renowned Islamic cleric, Sheik Ahmed Gumi, has called on a former Head of State, Muhammadu Buhari, not to contest the 2015 presidential election.

The cleric rather suggested that Mr. Buhari should back a younger person to run for the position.
In an open letter to the former head of state, posted on his Facebook page, Mr. Gumi argued that age is not on the side of the
retired general and that politicians were only using him to get to power because of his popularity among the masses.

He also said a Buhari presidency would further polarise the country and worsen the security challenges the country is grappling with. “My brother in Islam, please listen to the words of wisdom,” Mr. Gumi said. “And
don’t follow the whims of the riffraff Before they used you the first time to disrupt the second republic, my father advised you
against it. Today I am also advising you against contesting in the 2015 presidential election because you will be used to ignite
the nation -a dream well orchestered several years ago- and also be used by bad people
as a ladder to grab regional and local powers.”

When contacted by PREMIUM TIMES, Mr. Gumi confirmed writing the letter. He said it was his own contribution to peace building in
the country. “I have to write him (Mr. Buhari) that letter because we don’t want crisis in Nigeria,” he
said.

Mr. Buhari last week formally declared his intention to seek the APC presidential ticket at a well-attended rally in Abuja. The
following day, he obtained the party’s nomination forms.
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar is also seeking the same ticket just as Kano state Governor, Rabiu Kwankwaso.


Below is Mr. Gumi’s full message to Mr. Buhari.
Assalamu Alaikum
The Humble People’s General. I know I have access to you privately but this is meant for others to learn also. The Prophet -peace be upon him- told one
of the most honest and truthful of his companions, Abu Zar Algafary: “Oh Abu Zar, I truly love for you what I love for myself. I indeed see that you are weak so never
accept to lead even two people and never accept safekeeping of the orphans wealth.” An honest and candid advice from the prophet that is still valid today for any leader whose weakness borders on leadership qualities.

The reason for Abu Zar’s weakness has nothing to do with his credibility or truthfulness. Never! The prophet was narrated as saying: “there is nobody under
the shadows of trees or bare sun that is more honest in speech than Abu Zar”. Abu Zar – May Allah be pleased with him- is ascetic and inmaterialistic. Abu Zar is incorruptible. And yet he is not suitable for leadership. I am not claiming to be even by an atom’s
weight anything close to our noble prophet, yet I am encouraged to give you these same advice by the virtue that you are not also close to Abu Zar in piety. We are living in a
time of great tribulations and fitnah especially for this Ummah because of our collective iniquities, ignorance of religious
instructions and the love of Dunyah.

Sir, your weakness is not in your past impeccable record of accountability of public wealth and the fight against corruption and indiscipline. Your weakness is in your inability to control men compounded further by your strict and obsessive rejection of corruption.

Don’t be surprised. You may need to understand that Islam being a pragmatic religion allows the use of Zakkat and public wealth as an instrument to pacify and lure
influential people for the sake of
righteousness, peace and stability. In modern governance today it translate to security vote.
Thus men are also controlled by money. So if your policy of governance is obsessibly centered on sealing tight the use of money,
you will have great problem with men. An Arab poet said: “A fool cannot be the leader of his people but the true leader of the people must feign foolishness”.

It’s convenient for your ardent supporters to quote copiously from the annals of history
your great achievements but when your failures and weaknesses were pointed out
they say that was in the past. Is the lessons of past history only good for the positive achievements? Doesn’t that also explains our incessant failures?
Your Excellency, good intentions are never enough. In the past, because of your clean records and straightforwardness you were
lured by men who want only the vanities Dunya to uproot a young democracy on the caprices of fighting corruption. Corruption is
no doubt an evil but there is a more monstrous evil than corruption. That is turmoil and insecurity. Peace and stability
are the most important part of governance that no price is to high for them. The lack of peace, stability and security is the major predicament of this nation since
independence. So when you were

PDP propaganda in action

All this because you the honest people that are given the privilege of strengthening the Armed forces left it to meddle in politics. We
thus lost everything. Neither the power nor the security. A believer is not stung from the same hole
twice. Men used your innocence before to get power and dump you. Please be sensible today. Some other men still want to use you to get power and surely they will dump you again. You don’t share the same philosophy at all. Even though as I explained later, your obsession and philosophy of fighting corruption is not the priority of Nigeria today. What Nigeria needs utmost now is
peace and stability? This can only be achieved when the religious ethnic and regional divide is tamed. And you can only tame it with people without much
precedence. People without much following. Yet people that are constructive and have the ability to control men.

If Sardauna today is alive in your situation he will never contest for the presidential seat because of his deep understanding of what the nation needs. He will step down for a more acceptable younger person. It’s on record that Sardauna even at the age of
under 60 said he was not going to contest again, preparing his only house in Rabah for retirement.
I’ll give you a similitude to buttress my point of priority. A person seriously injured and
fractured from a road traffic accident when brought to the emergency room, the first
priority of the doctors is to secure an intravenous line. Meaning get a drip set working into his veins to protect his vital organs like the heart and kidneys from the
effects of shock and loss of blood. The fractures, even though serious and the source of the blood loss, may take days and weeks before they are even attended to beside the superficial dressings.

Nigeria now needs peace and stability first. Then we talk of good governance later even
though it’s the source of the predicament we are facing.
The present government has already charged the situation and played the religious divide to its advantage. It’s in circulation now, a SW pastor calling on Christians and the church to vote Jonathan
as their only Saviour. This religious card will be used to cover his deficiency in governance.

Your Excellency, you should understand too, that many, if not most of your supporters, are also looking up to you to protect them
from the onslaught on their religion and region. This also the Christian will never believe the otherwise. Therefore the stage is set for religious confrontation which is the least the nation
needs.

What we need as a priority is peace and stability. From my view, if APC can support as an example Ameachi or Okorocha/Kwankwaso
or El-Rufai or Tambuwwal ticket and the PDP will have Akpabio/Muazu or Ribadu or
Shekaru, the next four years will. – insha Allah – witness stability both in the north and south. And the electoral body will get the necessary infrastructure that
subsequently the next election will be free and fair and the true reflection of Nigerians.

If you may ask, why can’t this same peace be achieved with you and another Christian running mate? Gen. you have antagonist, and they are many and also as ardent as your supporters. Your
supporters have the biggest proportion of the underprivileged of the society which is the petrol that can be easily ignited by the
slightest spark. The spark will be when you’re declared the loser. And you know you can very well lose if the Christians follow their church -and why not in this era of
mediocrity. On the other hand if Jonathan comes back. BH will be real not the political one we see.
The turmoil will engulf the whole country not only the north. That is why I also call on PDP to present some other candidates.

My brother in Islam, please listen to the words of wisdom. And don’t follow the whims of the riffraff. Before they used you
the first time to disrupt the second republic, my father advised you against it. Today I am also advising you against contesting in the 2015 presidential election because you will be used to ignite the nation -a dream well
orchestered several years ago- and also be used by bad people as a ladder to grab regional and local powers.

I rest my case here.

My best regards and condolence for your recent loss. May Allah guide you and protect you from
the evil men and the jinn. Amin.

he dey mad

This man is not taking any side na. He's just scared of the unknown...