News
Break-Up Warning: Ohanaeze, PANDEF, Afenifere, Others Back VP …ACF Cautions Osibanjo Over Utterance
The socio-political groups such as Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Afenifere and the Pan Niger Delta Forum, on Monday, said the Vice President, Prof Yemi Osibanjo’s warning that cracks in the country could lead to its break-up should not be taken for granted.
Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Afenifere and PANDEF, in separate interviews with newsmen, supported the Vice President, saying Nigerians could not continue to live in denial.
But the northern socio-political group, the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), admitted that there were unhealthy cracks in Nigeria.
It, however, said the Vice-President should not make statements that would worsen tension in the country.
Osibanjo, who was represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr Boss Mustapha, at an interdenominational church service in Abuja on Sunday to mark Nigeria’s 60th Independence anniversary, said, “Our walls are not yet broken, but there are obvious cracks that could lead to a break, if not properly addressed.”
At the service, the SGF read Osibanjo’s speech.
In its reaction, the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, agreed with the Vice President that cracks in Nigeria could lead to its break-up.
The National Publicity Secretary and acting Secretary General of Ohanaeze, Prince Uche Achi-Okpaga, said the Vice President’s concerns weren’t different from what other Nigerians had been saying.
Achi-Okpaga said government was not making efforts to address the problems, adding that prayers were not enough.
Although he described Osibanjo as a man of unimpeachable character, who knows where the problems of Nigeria lie, he noted that it was not enough to ask Nigerians to pray.
Achi-Okpaga said, “By his pedigree as the Vice President of Nigeria, law professor and pastor, he knows where the shoes pinch the government.
“In so many areas, he is right. You can’t take his words for granted. He has been inside there and he knows where the shoes pinch the government and the people of Nigeria. So, when he drops a word like that you can always know he is serious and he knows the nitty-gritty of what he is saying.
“What he is saying is not even different from what Nigerians are saying. This thing is not rocket science; we are seeing it. Look at the economy, the prices of the commodities have increased. Look at the electricity tariff increase and fuel pump price hike. Is it the gift that the government is giving Nigerians at the heat of this Covid-19 pandemic that has ravaged Nigeria economically?
“Look at security; how Fulani herdsmen are ravaging communities and agricultural lands; killing Nigerians every day. The government is aware of this and no effort is being made to stem it.”
On the Vice President’s call on Nigerians to pray, Ohanaeze spokesman said it was apt but noted that there should be a balance of prayers and actions.
On his part, the Afenifere National Publicity Secretary, Yinka Odumakin, said, “This is a perceptive observation and bold declaration by the Vice President. It is an honest admission better than playing the ostrich. When you admit the problems you can begin to find solutions to them. But when you live in denial, you won’t find solutions to your problems. We hope his admission will.
Also, PANDEF said that what Nigeria needed was restructuring, justice and peaceful coexistence to bring about progress and development.
Spokesman for the group, Comrade Ken Robinson, said on Monday, the Vice President was right that there were cracks in the country.
He stated, “PANDEF feels that the Vice President is partly right that there are cracks, there are disaffections. Nigeria is in a precarious state.
“People are not happy with the way the affairs of the country are being conducted, so various groups are asking for self-determination. There is a Yoruba group that is asking for self-determination.
“There are the IPOB, the Igbo youths and there is general disaffection in the country, with the nepotistic attitude and disposition of the Muhammadu Buhari administration.
“So, VP Osibanjo, who is a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, is right that there are cracks, but the answer is not prayer. We talk too much about prayers in Nigeria, when we know what to do.
“What to do is restructuring of Nigeria to give federating units power. What we need is fiscal federalism. What we need is devolution of powers. There is too much power at the centre.
“The constitution as it is today makes the President the God of Nigeria. This is not right. He can wake up one morning and do whatever he likes and it stands.”
The National President of the Middle Belt Forum, Dr Bitrus Porgu, also supported the Vice President’s warning.
Speaking in Jos, Plateau State capital, Porgu, noted that the British Colonial masters brought different nationalities together without recourse to their individual differences.
He lamented that the present regime led by Buhari had continued to promote policies in favour of his Fulani and Muslims to the detriment of the interests of other Nigerians
Porgu said “I think the Vice President said the right thing because we have been talking about the issues bedevilling the country including insecurity, bad governance, structure of the government which needs to be restructured among others. Unless these issues are addressed and urgently too, such that all the components that make up the country are happy with coexistence, things can fall apart.”
But the ACF cautioned Osibanjo against comments capable of creating further tension in the land.
The northern body acknowledged that the cracks in the country were unhealthy, but noted that the nation would overcome such.
The National Publicity Secretary of the ACF, Emmanuel Yawe while reacting to the Vice President’s comment, cautioned other Nigerian leaders, to “watch their words.”
The ACF’s spokesman said, “The cracks are unhealthy but we expect the Vice President to calm nerves and not make a pronouncement that will aggravate the situation.
“The ACF is hopeful that Nigeria will overcome its current travails as it did in the past and even overcame a fratricidal war to break up Nigeria. To do this, Nigerian leaders like Osibanjo should watch their words.”
Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, has called on Nigerians to reject silence in the face of extrajudicial killings and other abuses of human rights.
Soyinka stressed that accountability and civic courage remain essential to rebuilding public confidence in the nation’s institutions.
He made the call during the 28th Wole Soyinka Lecture held in Port Harcourt, last Friday as part of activities marking his 92nd birthday.
The lecture, themed “Reclaiming the Nigerian State through Accountability, Justice and Civic Courage,” drew participants from different sectors of society.
The renowned playwright and human rights advocate said the country’s greatest tragedy was not only the unlawful killings carried out by state and non-state actors, but also the silence that often follows such incidents, allowing perpetrators to evade justice.
According to him, indifference by citizens to abuses of power and violations of fundamental human rights has contributed to the persistence of extrajudicial killings and other forms of injustice across the country.
Soyinka said he dedicated this year’s lecture to victims of unlawful killings, noting that the event was intended to honour individuals who had lost their lives as a result of failures within the justice system and society’s inability to protect the sanctity of human life.
He stressed that the lecture was dedicated to what he described as the basic unit of every society – the human being, and urged Nigerians to place greater value on human dignity irrespective of ethnicity, religion or social status.
The Nobel Laureate recalled several incidents of violence, including the fatal shooting and killing of a young man in Ugheli in Delta State by a police officer, and the mob killing of Deborah Yakubu in Sokoto State sometime ago, lamenting that many of those responsible are yet to face justice.
He expressed concern that some perpetrators of violent crimes had openly admitted their actions without fear of prosecution, describing such situations as evidence of serious failures within the nation’s justice system.
Soyinka maintained that when justice is delayed or denied, public confidence in state institutions continues to erode, thereby encouraging further violations of human rights.
Responding to critics who accuse him of promoting religious or ethnic divisions whenever he spoke on such issues, Soyinka dismissed the allegations and pointed out that his advocacy has always centred on the protection of human life and the rule of law.
He urged Nigerians to remain vigilant and continue demanding justice in cases of alleged extrajudicial killings, including the recent shooting of a young man by a police officer, stressing that every life deserves equal protection under the law.
The literary icon also recalled an earlier pledge by a past incoming president to make public the files relating to unresolved assassinations and extrajudicial killings, questioning the status of the promised investigations.
He challenged citizens to continue asking questions about unresolved cases, insisting that justice, accountability and respect for human dignity are indispensable to building a peaceful, democratic and inclusive Nigerian society.
The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has clarified that there was no fire at Terminal 2 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, contrary to its earlier advisory.
Earlier yesterday, FAAN had announced that a fire incident had occurred at Terminal 2 of the nation’s busiest airport, and assured that its Aerodrome Rescue and Firefighting Service had been deployed to contain the situation.
There were also reports that activities were briefly disrupted at the airport yesterday after smoke was seen inside parts of the terminal.
Videos circulating online showed passengers kept standing outside the terminal while firefighters responded to the incident.
However, in an update issued less than two hours later by the Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Henry Agbebire, and posted on FAAN’s official X handle, the authority said preliminary findings showed that the smoke seen at the terminal was caused by the discharge of the facility’s FM-200 fire suppression system.
“Further to our earlier advisory regarding the incident at Terminal 2 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) wishes to provide the following update,” the statement read.
“Preliminary findings indicate that there was no fire at the terminal. The smoke observed within the affected area resulted from the discharge of the terminal’s FM-200 fire suppression system. The reason for the activation of the fire suppression system is currently being investigated,” FAAN stated.
The authority said normal operations had resumed at the terminal while investigations were ongoing to determine the cause of the incident.
“Normal operations have since resumed at the terminal, while detailed investigations are ongoing to determine the exact cause of the incident,” the statement added.
The authority thanked passengers, airlines, airport users and other stakeholders for their understanding and cooperation.
FAAN appreciated the understanding and cooperation of passengers, airlines, airport users and all stakeholders, and reiterated its commitment to the safety and security of all airport operations.