Failure to address ethnic tension sparking political crisis – PGF DG

Director-General of the Progressive Governors Forum (PGF), Salihu Mohammed Lukman has said the failure of Nigerian authorities to address issues of ethnic tension in the country is sparking all manner of political crisis in the country.

Lukman in a statement on Saturday in Abuja, said this is coupled with alleged widespread systematic weakening of governance institutions in the country, especially on matters of guaranteeing the security of lives and property of Nigerians.

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He argued that part of the challenges that required proper attention in the country was the need to resolve problems of mismanagement of the country’s transition from military rule to the current Fourth Republic.

“Recalling all the unfortunate details of the problems created by the annulment of the June 12, 1993, it is important to recognise that more than 20 years into the current Fourth Republic, the tension created in the country are far from being resolved.

“The problem of insurgency in the North East and the spate of suicide bombings by Boko Haram terrorists between 2010 and 2015, compounded the task of managing ethnic relations thereby creating serious security challenge in the country.

“Before 2015, the Boko Haram insurgents were controlling most parts of Borno, Adamawa and Yobe States. Weak response and excessive politicisation of our national security challenges under the Jonathan administration, including the false accusation that opposition politicians were sponsoring Boko Haram, lower the approval rating of the Jonathan administration in the country, which significantly contributed to its defeat in 2015.

“Although problems of political tension between our ethnic groups could be said to be less volatile than what obtains today, reckless and brazenly repressive conducts by the military leadership heightened ethnic tension in the country,” he said.