Garba Shehu, presidential spokesman,
says the presidency is pleased that Afenifere and Ohanaeze Ndi Igbo groups
found its statement worthy of attention.
Speaking when he featured on a
programme on Channels Television, Shehu had likened the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of
Nigeria (MACBAN) to Ohanaeze and Afenifere, saying the group should not be
criminalised.
Both groups had replied Shehu,
asking him not to compare them with Miyetti Allah.
Replying the groups in a
statement issued on Friday, Shehu said the presidency is pleased that
“Afenifere and Ohaneze Ndigbo found our insights worthy of attention even when
they disagreed with our view”.
Shehu added that dialogue remains
an important tool under the President Muhammadu Buhari administration. He also
said criminals cut across all divides and not restricted to just one ethnic
group.
Shehu said: “The point both
socio-cultural groups missed, however, by insisting that government should not
to talk to Miyetti Allah is the need to address and engage Nigeria’s ethnic,
religious, cultural and economic plurality. The need to engage all groups of
Nigeria is as much relevant today as it was then.
“The Presidency’s position is
that President Muhammadu Buhari’s government is equipped to address these
issues. The security challenges faced by Nigeria today make the task of
addressing the issues very urgent.
“Miyetti Allah, like any other
trade, community, ethnic organization or interest group is a legal stakeholder
in our nation and should be respected. We maintain that the government needs to
engage all stakeholders and seek partnership in building our country.
“It is right to state that there
are criminals among every group in Nigeria and in every country. There are
criminals among the northern population as there are in the southern part of
the country. It is not good to generalise blames.
“As the President has stated time
and again, transparency and dialogue are essential for public enlightenment and
nation building.”
Shehu dismissed the allegation
that the federal government plans to allegedly appease MACBAN with N100
billion.
According to him, even if Miyetti
Allah had demanded money, “this government would have dismissed them as yet
another dubious group”.
“The issue of money was never
raised at any of the meetings between the representatives of government and
Miyetti Allah. If they had raised it, this government would have dismissed them
as yet another dubious group, like the many making claims to be representing
our trusting people but serving their own interests,” he said.
“The people spreading such
rumours should be helped to see the truth and participate in nation building,
and not become crisis messengers.”
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