That Threat To National Unity

The seeming convergence of political, religious and violent
challenges in Nigeria has tended to undermine the peace and unity of the
country as never before. But the response of the Federal Government to these
issues has also not allowed peace to rest on the hearts of many Nigerians.

The worrisome state of the Nigerian nation took more knocks
recently when some political actors openly asked President Goodluck Jonathan to
resign from office.  A situation that
shames that time tested and progressive act of responsible political
opposition.

Meanwhile, a faction of the Movement for the Survival of
Ogoni People (MOSOP) on August 2, 2012 also
declared “Ogoni Autonomy” through its leader,  Mr Goodluck Diigbo.  However, the Provisional Council of MOSOP led
by Prof Ben Naanen dissociated itself from the declaration and accused Mr
Diigbo of using the youths of the area to terrorise people and fan embers of
discord.

Similarly, on August 9, 2012, the Bakassi people of Cross
River State declared a sovereign state of their own, hoisted a flag with a coat
of arms and launched a radio station.
This is not including the lingering case of Biafra and speculative moves
by some states that freely give the impression that Nigeria is not together.

These developments have dwarfed the existing security
challenges posed by Boko Haram .  Apart
from the bombing and killings, unending labour strikes, political power play
between the Northern and Southern Governors Forums, the lack of concern for the
health of the Nigerian state has become pitiable.

The Tide condemns the open disregard and disrespect for the
Presidency as underscored by the temerity of some rascals to call for the
resignation of President Goodluck Jonathan over spurious charges.

It is on record that no Nigerian leader has had to contend
with the number and severity of national challenges as President Jonathan.  He has had the misfortune of inheriting the
result of years of bad governance, economic planlessness, financial
recklessness and lack of political will to get things done.

It is, therefore, an unfair expectation for Nigerians to
want him to solve all the problems of the ages, even when every action to bring
about a change is opposed.  Indeed, the
President cannot take any blame when the due support and encouragement of all
are lacking.

Sadly, some Nigerians have taken the peaceful disposition of
the President for granted and have mistaken his commitment to the rule of law
as weakness.  Indeed, the right to
freedom of expression cannot be a right to undermine the peace and unity of
Nigeria.

In the light of the present threat to the peace and unity of
the Nigerian state, we expect that the President would act fast and resolutely
too to keep felons and advocates of the devil at bay.  There must be a time for political campaigns
and struggles and time to serve.  This
government must stop allowing the campaign for the office of the President and
allow Nigeria to move on.

While we sympathise with the Ogoni cause, especially in
relation to the failure to implement the UNEP report, we think it is hasty to
declare autonomy. It is a step that must be retraced quickly to mitigate the
risks that can be attracted by such actions.
We think Ogoni has suffered enough and should avoid more trouble when
victory has already been won.

On the Bakassi issue, people may have perceived actions of
the Federal Government over the past nine years after the ICJ verdict as
inimical to their interest and that of Nigeria.
Their action should make President Jonathan challenge the Bakassi
Judgment and bring the natural owners of the place to re-claim their own.

On the other hand, the needless politicking and
muscle-flexing of the Northern Governors Forum and its Southern counterpart
over statutory allocation of funds accruing largely from the South is
regrettable.  The solution is very
clear-resource control so that the north does not continue to call the rest of
the country fools and reap where they did not sow

On the activities of these sectional Governors Fora, the
Federal Government must come up with a template on how to deal with such
illegal political groups and allow the legitimate agencies of state dictate the
pace of Nigeria’s political maturity.

If President Jonathan must stop people who may have been
paid to destabilise the country, including the Boko Haram insurgents, he must
wield the powers conferred on him by the people and the constitution as
Commander-In-Chief of the Nigerian Armed Forces.

The present threat to the peace and unity of Nigeria
requires from the President the presence of mind, clarity of thought and
resoluteness of actions of a Field Marshal to contain the excesses of some
citizens before things get out of hand and President Jonathan must deliver on
these without further delay.