Immediate past President of the Senate, Dr. Bukola Saraki, has cautioned that recent insecurity incidents in Ondo and Oyo states, if not carefully handled, portend greats threat to Nigeria’s unity.
He said the developments have unduly raised the temperature and tension in the country.
“The ugly development in these two states are symptomatic of the continued threat to the unity of our country that we have witnessed on a higher scale in recent times and in different parts of the country, including the South-East and South-South zones”, said Saraki in a statement Sunday.
The politician, however charged President Muhammadu Buhari to demonstrate political will of finding solutions to the he teething security challenges facing the nation by listening to views across board.
Saraki also appealed to the leadership of the National Assembly to take proactive steps in reining in the executive from taking steps that could aggravate the tension in the land.
The former governor of Kwara State took time to admonish politicians aspiring for offices ahead of the 2023 polls to safeguard the future of the country now through truthful dialogue.
Saraki said: “At this point, I strongly appeal to all of us to work for peace and take initiatives that can douse tension. Both the elite and ordinary people have a responsibility to begin to take measures that will reassure the people across the board that a united Nigeria will benefit everybody better than a disintegrated country.
“The deafening silence by key stakeholders, leaders and others who we think should speak out is worrisome. This silence is a dangerous tell-tale sign that things are wrong. This is not good for our country.
We must all speak out and talk about the solution to this twin-problem of insecurity and threat to national unity.
“We all do not have another country to call our own other than this one country, Nigeria. We need to live in peace with each other and it is my prayer that Almighty God will continue to preserve the unity of the country.
“I appeal to President Muhammadu Buhari to provide leadership. Mr. President, take measures that will reassure all and sundry that you are working on the problems and that nobody should lose interest in a united, peaceful, and progressive Nigeria.
“It is important for President Muhammadu Buhari to rally all interests and everybody at the leadership levels to a round table in order to discuss and find appropriate solutions.
“Let me reiterate my earlier suggestion that President Buhari should call all relevant politicians and stakeholders together – former heads of states, retired and serving security chiefs, present and former leaders of various arms of government, traditional rulers with relevant experience, experienced youth with the technological know-how to solve security problems and even international civil servants of Nigerian origin who can help.
” Everybody must be made to contribute ideas on how to save our country from insecurity, disunity, and invasion by criminals. Mr. President, please, call everybody together and provide the much-needed leadership to solve the problem. This is a period that requires all hands to be on deck.
This is not the time to talk of APC or PDP. It is a time for all to work for Nigeria. This is a problem for all and should be solved by all.
“I want to also make a passionate plea to my brothers, Ahmed Lawan and Femi Gbajabiamila, both of whom are experienced legislators, to provide the far-reaching legislative intervention that will help the executive arm in the search for peace.
The situation is getting worse by the day. Insecurity has become the order of the day and it is fueling disunity and criminal activities.
“Let me also call on all politicians who are looking towards 2023 to take over power to start pondering on what type of Nigeria will they have to administer post-2023 if the current situation continues. It is better for all of us to join hands together now to quell the raging fire of disunity, insecurity, and work to mend fences.”
(Daily Times)
