Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, said the silence by the eminent community and political leaders in the country amidst agitation for the balkanization of the country in certain quarters was worrisome.
Professor Osinbajo expressed his concern, on Tuesday night, at Transcorp Hilton at an interactive section with Anambra State All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship aspirants.
The event was organised by the State Chapter of APC Patriots.
He appealed to the acknowledged leaders across the country to seize the initiative to open discussions with those behind the movement as he cautioned that Nigeria could not afford a slide into another civil war.
He said: “The thing about the kind of conflict in this part of the world – developing countries, is that it is usually a war without end.
“Everyone who thinks they have some monies stored up somewhere will eventually run out of money.
“Everyone who thinks they can go and hide somewhere, won`t even find a place to hide, in the end, everyone will suffer.
“Even if you don’t suffer, your parents, children, young and old people and your relations will suffer. We cannot afford a war in this country, we can’t afford it.
“I pray that our country will never know conflict, but I know that every conflict is as a result of elite failure to speak up the truth and tell the truth to their communities.
“If we don’t speak up against disunity, if we keep quiet and remain under the radar, the enemies of peace and those who want to promote disunity will have their ways. And when this happens, we will find ourselves running helter-skelter.”
Ahead of the November 6 Governorship election in Anambra State, the Vice President assured the aspirants that the party would conduct a credible primary while appealing to the aspirants to support whoever emerges amongst them as the APC candidate.
Earlier in his remarks, the coordinator of Anambra State APC Patriots, organisers of the interactive session with the aspirants, Honourable Dozie Ikedife Jnr, said the interface was designed to create an avenue for the aspirants to meet one another, foster warm relationship ahead of the primary.
Honourable Ikedife further admonished the leadership of the party to ensure that the party primary fixed for June 26 was transparent.
Nine of the aspirants at the interactive session include Senator Emmanuel Andy Uba, Dr George Moghalu, Dr Chidozie Nwankwo, Engineer. Johnbosco Onunkwo and Sir. Azuka Okwuosa.
Others were Mr Paul Izuchukwu Orajiaka, Chief Ben Etiaba Jnr, Col. Geoffrey Onyejegbu (rtd) and Comrade Maxwell Okoye.
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