South-West Governors Forum has
reacted to a recent call by Northern Elders Forum, NEF, asking herdsmen to
leave the Southern region of the country and return to the North.
Governors of the South West said
the call was most unfortunate, divisive and retrogressive.
The Chairman of NEF, Prof. Ango
Abdullahi, had in a press conference in Abuja on Tuesday, claimed that there
was a move by some trouble elements to engage herders with violence in the
Southern part of the country, while directing the herders to return to the
North.
South-West Governors’ reaction
was contained in a statement personally signed by the Forum’s Chairman and Ondo
State Governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu on Friday.
The statement added, ”With no
intention to engage anyone, it is incumbent on us, as elected representatives
of our people in the South West Region of the country, to denounce this
divisive and retrogressive statement in the strongest terms possible.
“The Southwest Governors viewed
the report with palpable trepidation and outrage, the sustained attempts to fan
the ember of discord, seizing every opportunity offered by the current security
challenge to undermine the unity and peaceful co-existence among Nigerians.”
“It is appalling, to assert the
least, that the tragic incident, which claimed the life of Mrs. Funke
Olakunrin, the daughter of Pa Fasoranti, the leader of Afenifere, would be used
by certain persons to advance the cause of parochial and prebendal politics.
“We intend to get to the root of
the sad occurrence as we await the findings of security agencies on the
unfortunate incident.”
“The governors and the people of
the South West are working assiduously, at the current security challenges with
a view to finding lasting solutions to curtail the nefarious activities of
undesirable elements bent on wrecking our collective peace.
”We are not unaware of the antics
of certain elements, who hope to garner political mileage from the contrived
crises in virtually all parts of the country.
“We are equally convinced that
this confusion serves the narrow interests of some persons.
“The country has a rich history;
she has had to encounter adversities in the course of her transition to
nationhood.
“She has overcome them all. This
distraction will also pass. We look up to the security agencies to take
cohesive steps to curtail this major challenge of insecurity which engenders
hopelessness.
“We can only enjoin all citizens,
on our part, to be patient and continue to cooperate with them as they combat
the festering crises.
“We on our part have taken great
strides with the hope that great success will be achieved.
“We, however, note, with
discomfiture, the unpatriotic acts of some Nigerians, who will stop at nothing
in their bid to undermine the Federal Government.”
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