Atiku Abubakar, former vice-president, has advised Nigerian
governors to convene a national unity summit “to iron out the thorny issues”
affecting the country.
He said the governors should stop waiting for the federal
government to act, while urging them to work together irrespective of tribe,
religion, or political affiliations.
Atiku’s counsel is coming in the wake of the meeting of
southern governors in Asaba, Delta state capital, to discuss the state of the
nation.
After the meeting, the governors had called on President
Muhammadu Buhari to be fairer in political appointments, convene a national
dialogue, embrace the calls for restructuring and ban open grazing.
In a statement on Sunday, the former vice-president said
national issues cannot be solved if everyone has a “regional mindset”.
“The truth is that if at a national level, we address these
unNigerian tendencies immediately and dispassionately, we would not have
Nigerians congregating at a regional or sub-regional level to address these
issues,” he said
“Governors representing some states have met. And I
completely understand the necessity of their meeting and the wisdom of their
decisions. But no matter how much you try to clap with one hand, the vibrations
will not be the same as when you clap with two hands.
“These problems were created by those with a regional
mindset, and will not be solved by those with a similar mindset.
“For too long, we have erroneously thought that the power to
make effective changes lies at Aso Rock. But without the states, nobody can get
to Aso Rock. That is why for anyone to emerge as president of Nigeria, he or
she must secure enough votes in two-thirds of the states that make up the
Nigerian federation.
“Let us apply this wisdom to our present challenges. I call
on Nigerian governors to stop waiting on Abuja to make changes, and instead
convene a national unity summit of all Nigerian governors to iron out the
thorny issues affecting the destiny of our nation until they figure out a way
to resolve them.
“Forget about your party. Forget about your tribe. Respect
your religion and allow it to bring out the better part of you. Meet together.
Talk together. Come up with the solutions to all our collective challenges.
“And then go back to your states, and consult with your
federal and state legislators, with a view to getting them to work with their
colleagues to implement the solutions you came up with. That is how to save
Nigeria.
“To keep waiting for this federal government to take the
lead, and effect the changes that Nigeria needs to stop drifting, is to keep
waiting for Godot. And that is a luxury we cannot afford.”
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