Utomi to Buhari: You are dividing the country with your insular action

Former presidential candidate, Prof. Pat Utomi, has declared that the ‘insular’ action of President Muhammadu Buhari is causing a great division in the country.
Utomi, an economist, said Buhari has a ‘medieval mindset’ and this is making it difficult for patriotic Nigerians to advise the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led Federal Government.
Because of this, Utomi said it was difficult for Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, whom he described as his friend, to change the mindset of the president “because of his idea of exclusion, rather than inclusion”.
Utomi said this at a breakfast meeting organised by the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Victory Chapel, Province 21, Magodo, Lagos.
The politician/economist declared: “The problem with Buhari’s administration is his medieval mindset. He excludes rather than includes. So, he does not get the best idea.
“He is insular. I don’t push him in this conversation but I am sure that if I put my friend, the vice president under pressure, he will admit what I am saying. Because of their medieval mindset, they have created a country that is more divided than they met it. And that is a problem for leadership that is marching towards progress.”
On the Change Mantra, he said: “Everything is based on context. Take a look at the mismanagement of this fuel thing. The whole idea is nonsensical. It doesn’t have to go on like this. You are punishing Nigerians unnecessarily. The sufferings that Nigerians have endured in the last couple of weeks over this petrol crisis have reduced productivity. If you throw it open to people across the world to bring petrol to Nigeria and sell at any price, you will discover that within a year, the price of petrol will be lower than the government’s fixed price today.
“You (Buhari) set up a committee called transition committee. It suggested that you deregulate the whole thing about crude oil, but no, you won’t. Your ideas go back 30 years and they are irrelevant to this world. Open up your mind and listen to people and you can make progress. To lead is to serve.
“To lead, you must be knowledgeable. People don’t follow somebody who doesn’t know where he is going. Otherwise, you fall into a ditch.”