Resist temptation to politicise security issues- Osinbajo tells Govs

 

Elizabeth Archibong

Governors of the 36 states of the Federation have been asked to resist the temptation of of playing politics with critical issues especially as it concerns matters of security.

The governors were rather urged to speak up forcefully and promptly against issues that are capable of disrupting the peace and order of the country.

Acting President Yemi Osinbajo, made the call on Wednesday, while meeting the State governors at he last of the consultations for peace on the heels of agitations for secession and threats by northern youths has been convened.

The forum, convened at the instance of the Acting President, was held at the Conference Centre of the State House, Abuja.

In his remarks at the commencement of deliberations, Osinbajo also reminded the governors of their roles in instilling peace and protecting lives and properties in their areas devoid of party
affiliations.

“I must say that I trust that all of us must appreciate the need to show greater unity of purpose and the determination to work together to resolve various challenges that arise on a constant basis for the benefit of all Nigerians regardless of party affiliations.

“We must resist the temptation to play politics especially with matters of security, but to reach for simplistic narratives that might be originally expedient and satisfying.…Sometimes intensions are
perceived on the account of the fact that they have wrong perception about a particular thing.

“ I think it is in our place to ensure that we dig down the fact and ensure that people are given the fact and ensure that we don’t colour them with politics” he said.

Osinbajo impressed on them that, they are critical in the whole process as non of the agreements reached with the other stakeholders he met with on the issues earlier can hold without their endorsement.

Enumerating some of the issues that were discussed behind closed doors in his consultations with leaders of thought and traditional rulers from the North and South East, Osinbajo said the issue of herdsmen and farmers crisis had also come top. He said there was need for an expanded meeting that will possibly bring a final solution to the issue once and for all.

“Going back to some of what was said, some of the issues that came up and I hope that we will discuss in greater details are the issues around the herdsmen and farmers crisis, especially the way that some of these have resulted in flashpoint across the country.

“We started those discussions during the consultations we had and I believe that we will be able to deepen those discussions in our meeting and possibly hold a more expanded meeting where we will be able to take a closer look at it. It is absolutely important that we are able to make lasting and satisfactory solutions to these problems”.

According to him, though the problems are multidimensional the states have a very important role to play especially because they are in control of land in their territories.

From of the consultations, it was agreed that Nigeria’s unity should not be taken for granted as no one wants to see us go down the path of bloodshed or war, Osinbajo said adding that at the meetings the primacy of the Nigerian constitution was agreed on as the base for unity.

Stating that the meetings were frank, the Acting President said it was also agreed that the government at both federal and state level needed to do more to “engage our youth productively, create some jobs, multiply the economic opportunities available”.

“More importantly we agreed on the need for leaders to speak out forcefully to counter divisive speech or any kind of war mongering, we agreed that leaders at all levels speak out forcefully against any kind of divisiveness or divisive speech. And we expect that our political leaders will do so without waiting to be prompted” he said.

This, he said applied to both the statement made by the young people in the South East as well as the youth in the Northern states.

 

Elizabeth Archibong