Osinbajo meets S/East leaders, warns against divisive comments
Acting President Yemi Osinbajo yesterday called on south east leaders to speak out against hate speeches and divisive comments.
The meeting held at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. He held similar meeting with leaders from the north yesterday.
However, speaking to State House reporters later, Ebonyi State Governor, David Umahi said the meeting was not about the Indigenous People of Biafra, the group that for years has been campaigning openly for secession, and using hate speech to whip up sentiments.
But Osinbajo said the hostile agitations by Igbo youths for secession and the recent ultimatum issued by a group of northern youths
asking all Igbo to vacate by October 1 had heightened tension in the country.
“Burying our heads in the sand and expecting the storm to blow over of their own accord is not an option.
“As leaders, we carry the burden to secure the peace, progress and prosperity of our people and that is why our voices ought to be heard and heard loud and clear at moments like this in the defence of ... what is right and patriotic”, he said.
He said Nigeria had gone through difficult times including a civil war, bloody coups and several rounds of ethnoreligious violence.
“All of us here have seen closeup what violence can do to a country, and I believe I speak for us all when I say that no one here is keen to see Nigeria embroiled in violence or bloodshed of any kind.
He noted that violence and war are terrible things that are easy to start but near impossible to end. “Indeed you’re all aware of the Igbo proverb that says that ‘A man who rushes into battle does not realize that battle entails death.”
“It is also clear that wars sometimes start, not with bullets, but with words, hateful, incendiary speech, opening floodgates of blood.
“Knowing this, under no conditions whatsoever should we tolerate or excuse or justify hate speech or hateful conduct of any kind, especially where such is illegal.”
He said when resources are limited there will always be a struggle to get the best seat at the table.
“But things should never descend to a level where mutual suspicions override the desire to live together in peace and harmony.”
He warned that hate or divisive speech or behaviour, will be met with the full force of the law.
“Let there be no doubt whatsoever of the resolve of government to ensure that no one will be allowed to get away with making speeches that can cause division or violence.
“We will take very seriously any attempts to cause violence or to disrupt the peace of Nigeria.”
He said the federal government was also resolute in its determination to protect every Nigerian, everywhere in the country.
“It also guarantees the free mobility of people, goods and services throughout the country, as well as full residence rights for every citizen in all and any parts of the land of their choice. It is also the aspiration of the Constitution to ensure a country in which, and I quote, “loyalty to the nation shall override sectional loyalties.”
“And it is the responsibility of the Government to create the conditions for the attainment of these ideals. There is something that President Buhari is fond of saying: that without peace and security there can be no development. We cannot develop a country that is not in the first place safe and secure for all its people. For this reason we take extremely seriously our constitutional responsibilities as your government.
“Those responsibilities also include listening to, consulting, and engaging with you; giving every citizen and every part of the Federation a sense of belonging and significance. And that is why we are here today.”
The meeting was attended by Senate President Bukola Saraki, Speaker of the House of Representatives Yakubu Dogara, governors of Enugu, Ebonyi, Anambra and Abia States, National Security Adviser Babagana Monguno, the Chief of Defence Staff, the InspectorGeneral of Police and Chief of Staff to the President Abba Kyari.
The Ministers of Information, Defence, Interior and Science and Technology were also in attendance.
The eastern leaders present included Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu, former Senate President Ken Namani, Senator Eyinaya Abaribe, Chief Chukwuemeka Ezeife, Catholic Awka Bishop Okoye, Igwebike Onah Catholic archbishop of Nssuka, Senator Joy Emordi, and Professor Viola Nwuleri.
The acting president said he also planned to meet with the Nigerian Governors Forum over the matter. He is also expected to meet with traditional leaders from all sections of the country.
What we discussed – Umahi
Ebonyi State Governor, David Umahi said the meeting emphasised the need for everyone to exercise restrain from making hate statements.
It also stressed the need for security of lives and property of Nigerians all over the country as well as the need for a united, honest, fair and equitable Nigeria.
"It was a wonderful meeting and the message we are taking back is that there is hope for a united and peaceful Nigeria and everybody should work hard.
“We emphasised the need for everybody to restrain from hate statements. We should be making statements that bind us together, statements of love, statements of unity, statements of hope and of course we should also work very hard.”
On the message the eastern leaders are taking back to agitators, the governor said: "Everybody has a right to agitate, but we emphasise the need for peaceful agitation. So, it is a fundamental right, but it is the manner you go about it."
Go after secession agitators, Senate tells security agencies
The Senate yesterday urged security agencies to go after anybody who makes any utterance capable of dividing Nigeria as a way of halting the current secession agitations in the country.
The decision was taken following the adoption of a motion sponsored by the Senate Leader, Ahmad Lawan (APC, Yobe) and 104 others on the need for National Unity and Peaceful coexistence in Nigeria.
"The Senate calls on the security agencies to prosecute anybody making inflammatory utterances capable of dividing the country, " it said.
The Upper Chamber also requested the Federal government to immediately submit the report of the 2014 National Conference convoked by former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan to address the agitation in parts of the country for break up.
Jonathan had in 2014 convoked the conference to address issues in the country but the resolution was submitted to the National Assembly, until a week to the end of the seventh Assembly.
However, the conference was mired in controversy because delegates were handpicked by Jonathan and not elected.
To date northern leaders have been consistent in their rejection of the outcome of the conference.
The Senate, after a 3-hour intensive debate on secession agitations, urged all Nigerians to desist from actions and utterances that are capable of jeopardizing the corporate existence of the country.
Moving the motion, Lawan noted that the greatest challenge facing Nigeria today was the threat to National unity, as centrifugal forces, call for self-determination adding that ethnicity and religious intolerance have enveloped national consciousness.
He expressed concerned also that recently, there have been clamouring for ethnically based and regionally supported threat to one united Nigeria in various parts of the country.
“The amalgamation of the Southern and Northern Protectorates in 1914 was not a mistake, but a design by the Almighty God as a nation of brothers and sisters united in common destiny, "he said.
Contributing, Senator Shehu Sani (APC-Kaduna) said politicians from all sides of the divide must rededicate themselves to the unity and collective peace a of the country.
"Politicians from the SouthEast, South-West and SouthSouth must have the courage, conviction and the consistence to insist on one nation. Likewise, politicians from the North must have the courage, conviction and that consistence to insist that this is an in-dissolvable union,” he said.
In his contribution, Senator Rabiu Musa kwankwaso (APC, Kano) said "This is a time to unite not to fight in this country. We must not be seen supporting the forces trying to divide the country"
The issue of the 2014 National Conference was raised by Senator Adamu Aliero (APC, Kebbi) when he advocated for it consideration by the National Assembly.
Minority Leader, Senator Godswill Akpabio (APC , AkwaIbom) said the respect Nigerians enjoy all over the World today was as a result of the country's unity and size.
In his remark, the Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu who presided over the plenary called for restraint by the agitators.
“We must show leadership as leaders. It is not time to leave the leadership of this country to ad hoc tendencies. In doing so we must address the fears and complaints of our citizens,” he said.