Nation
Nigeria’s Unity Non-Negotiable, Buhari Insists
President Muhammadu Buhari has reiterated his conviction in the indivisibility of Nigeria.
He reaffirmed the country’s unity is non-negotiable.
The President restated his conviction to Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, yesterday, during a visit to brief him of progress so far made in resolving the North/South food blockage crisis.
The governor, who called on Buhari in the company of the Chief of Staff to the President, Prof Ibrahim Gambari, also said the President also expressed concerns over the issue of insecurity in the country.
Bello had been at the forefront of efforts to resolve the ethnic misunderstanding between northern traders, under the aegis of Amalgamated Union of Food and Cattle Dealers of Nigeria (AFUCDN) and their southwestern compatriots, which led to a blockade of food items and livestock from entering the South.
However, the governor, as well as other notable Nigerians, including former Minister of Aviation, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, negotiated a truce, last Wednesday, leading to restoration of movement of food and livestock to the South.
According to him, while reacting to the agreement and the peace process, Buhari had commended the efforts put into reaching peace.
“Mr. President expressed concern over the insecurity in the land. As the commander-in-chief, he has assured every one of us based on his security meeting yesterday, that Nigeria is going to be secured, safe and prosperous and I believe in him 100 per cent.
“He urged every one of us to continue to go about our lawful businesses in the country, that Nigeria’s unity is not negotiable, that Nigeria must be united, peaceful and that Nigeria must be prosperous,” he said.
He waived off insinuations that he got involved in the peace process just to build a profile for himself against the 2023 presidential election, as he has been said to have mounted his campaigns for the purpose.
He said his intentions and reasons were genuine, adding he was in the peace process on the orders of the President to nip a potentially dangerous situation in the bud and save the country from an unimaginable consequence.
“I am not running away from the fact that numerous teaming youths, Nigerians, women, youths, leaders and followers, various groups are calling me to contest for the presidential election in 2023.
“That is their right, it is within their purview to ask for that or demand that I run as their representative in government today.
“But I have an assignment to carry out, the assignment of ensuring that my state is safe and secured.
“We’re doing that effectively by providing leadership in Kogi State. We’re taking Kogi State from where it used to be in the past, to a more united prosperous, safe and secured Kogi State.
“Today, they’re asking me to replicate the same in the national level that is within their rights. But to say that, when there is another call of an assignment from the Commander-in-Chief on me, to ensure that a little problem that can be solved, should not be allowed to snowball into a larger crisis that would put this country on unknown collision cause, I think I will never hesitate to take up that responsibility, and that I have done successfully to the glory of God and to the satisfaction of majority of Nigerian and Mr. President.”
Rivers state Deputy Governor Professor Ngozi Nma Odu has commended “The Port Harcourt City One Love,”a Port Harcourt based humanitarian orgnisation For it’s commitment towards alleviating the sufferings of the poor and vulnerable in the society.
Professor Ngozi Nma Odu said this while speaking at this year’s edition of “operation feed the needy” a yearly outreach program of “The Port Harcourt City One Love ” in Port Harcourt.
The Deputy Governor said by feeding more than sixty thousands hungry people within the past six years, the Port Harcourt City One Love Movement has distinguished itself as a club that cares for the less privilege in the society.
She commended the , organization for listing eleven thousand persons to be fed in the current exercise.
Meanwhile The Port Harcourt City One Love has planned a permanent solution to the problem of feeding the poor in the state.
The leader of the group Mr Idaere Gogo Ogan who said this in an interview with newsmen during the distribution of food items to the poor and vulnerables in Port Harcourt said the organization is planning a permanent food kitchen where poor and vulnerable persons can work in anytime and get fed.
Idaere Gogo Ogan said more than sixty thousands poor and vulnerable persons across Port Harcourt City and environs have been fed since the inception of “The operation feed the needy” program six years ago,adding that so far sixty thousands poor and vulnerable persons have beneffited.
He described the group as a platform to promote friendship, brotherhood, community development empathy and feeding the less privilege and hungry people
“That’s what we are doing today here,so we started the exercise six years ago”.he said.
Ogan said the effort was a private sector driven initiative but added “it also involves people in Government because the platform does not recognize any division,we bring everybody together in unity , friendship and brotherhood”he said.
He said the effort will go along way in alleviating hunger especially following the prevailing hunger in the country.
According to him “you know the country is very tough, people are hungry people are starving, there is a whole lot of economic hardship,so for us, this is just our own way of reaching out, our own social contribution to what is very difficult”he said.
Over eleven thousand persons were fed in the just concluded exercise.
Areas of coverage include, Isaac Boro park, Port Harcourt prison/Macoba, Borokiri/Enugu waterside Bundu areas Waterlines and others.
Some of the beneficiaries including an 80 years old widow commended the movement for the annual programm and urged other organizations to emulate them
John Bibor,/Esuuk Oyet/Suotor Memoye /Jeremiah Hannah
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