Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom has called on Nigerians, irrespective of religious and political affiliations to uphold unity, peace and dialogue as the panacea for the myriad of problems confronting the country.
The governor’s advice is coming on the heels of the statement credited to a group known as Muslim Solidarity Forum which asked the Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Bishop Mathew Kukah to tender an unreserved apology over his Christmas Day message or leave Sokoto State.
Governor Ortom in the statement signed and issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Terver Akase, said that he finds the statement as a contradiction of provisions of the Constitution which accords Nigerians the right to live freely in any part of the country.
He said the statement of the group directing Bishop Kukah to apologize or leave Sokoto State is a clear affirmation that Nigeria is being controlled by forces which are bent on setting the country ablaze if their interests are not guaranteed.
The governor stated that Nigerians – both Christians and Muslims – need to set aside religious and other sentiments to come together in humility to fast and pray for peace and unity of the country, rather than the current situation where some persons are fanning embers of disunity and hatred.
He said the Holy Bible admonishes the people to pray for their leaders and stresses that what is happening in the country at the moment is beyond human comprehension and cannot be tackled by President Muhammadu Buhari alone.
Governor Ortom advised that people who love Nigeria should desist from making inflammatory statements capable of heightening tensions and taking the country to the precipice of chaos and disintegration.
He said Bishop Kukah is not the first to speak out against impunity, injustice and the collapsing security situation being witnessed in parts of the country. He said: “You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free,” as captured in the Bible book of John 8:32.
The governor commended the Federal Government for issuing a statement to caution the group and reminding its members of provisions of the Constitution which guarantee the right of Nigerians to reside in any part of the country.
He stated that Bishop Kukah remains a true patriot who speaks to give direction and make recommendations on the way the people should be governed in an equitable and just manner.
“The governor maintains that Nigeria belongs to all its citizens and no individual or group has the right to threaten others and whip them into silence.
“He states that calls such as the one made by Muslim Solidarity Forum can only lead the country to a state of lawlessness which does no nation any good.
“The governor says what Nigerians ought to be worried about at this time in addition to insecurity is the ravaging COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the dwindling economy which has seen the naira fall to 500 to one dollar in the open market, a situation that is rendering millions of youths jobless.
“He calls for sober reflection on the projection made by the World Bank and International Monetary Fund that Nigeria may become the poverty capital of the world if nothing is urgently done to improve the productive sector.
“The governor reiterates the need for attention to be given to the productive sector, in order to create jobs for the people to avert the projection that more Nigerians will be destitute in the near future.
“Governor Ortom says democracy is built on the rule of law and freedom of speech is also anchored on the rule of law and to the extent that it does not infringe on the rights of other people,” the statement read in parts.
YOU SHOULD NOT MISS THESE HEADLINES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
Rays of the afternoon sun pelted her head as she fanned the embers beneath the half-cut iron drum with the smoke permeating the air. “This smoke is unbearable, Iya Maria,” said one of the three neighbours conversing under a makeshift shed about five meters away. Their voices rose and fell intermittently…
and then