Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo says there are “more
opportunities for prosperity” if Nigeria remains an indivisible entity.
Speaking on Thursday at the National Social Cohesion
Dialogue organised by the Africa Polling Institute, in Abuja, Osinbajo said
despite the activities of those who want Nigeria divided, the country will
prevail over its challenges.
The vice-president noted that the categorisation of citizens
into indigenes and non-indigenes is a form of apartheid.
“All Nigerians have a constitutional right to live, work and
enjoy their lives in peace and safety under the law. The classification of
Nigerians as “indigenes” and “non-indigenes” is a form of apartheid and
contradicts our declared aspirations towards equality and unity,” Osinbajo
said.
“This is why when we launched our Social Investment
Programmes, the eligible beneficiaries were selected based on their states of
residence and none was discriminated against on any basis. This was in keeping
with the idea that the only true path to national progress lies in broadening
access to opportunity for all Nigerians without qualification.
“Our destinies have become so interlinked as to be
inseparable. This is why this administration is investing heavily in
transportation infrastructure – road, rail, sea and river ports – to reduce the
distances between our people and link localities to markets and enable trade,
travel and tourism.
“We must ensure that we see it for what it is – a criminal
act which must be punished according to the law and not an ethnic conflict.
Criminals must not be seen or treated as anything other than criminals and
certainly not as representatives of any ethnic or religious group.
“We will not defeat crime by dividing ourselves. We can only
overcome it by uniting against our common enemy – the criminals who terrorize
our people.
“Nigeria will be a great loser if we were to break up; when
we see the greatest economic advantage to our size about to come to life. In
short, staying together as a collective affords each of our communities far
more opportunities for prosperity than they would have if they went their
separate ways. We have all that it takes to be truly more than the sum of our
parts.”
Osinbajo further added that Nigeria must harness its
greatest economic advantage which is its huge size.
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