Former Governor of Anambra State, Chief Chukuemeka Ezeife, says the prevailing circumstances in the country show that Nigeria is in a make or break situation.
Addressing participants and journalists at the inaugural meeting of the National Coalition for Peace and Unity (NACOPU) in Abuja on Tuesday, Ezeife postulated that only restructuring with each region allowed to independently deal with some issues, can save the situation.
He said: “No body needs any preaching for us to understand that we are in a make or break situation in our country. I am Igbo I don’t want to leave Nigeria, but I do not want to be a slave in the country of my birth. The Federal Government is pushing for us to leave the country and I have looked at it from a long point of view and I think it is better if here can be restructured.
“I was in a meeting with a lady from the North who told us that let us thank God for giving us President Muhammadu Buhari whose performances has open the eyes of all Nigerians. She also said religion is important but not now, tribe is important but not now. This topic peace and unity has been touching us, even when things were not as bad as this. The old should be apologetic for ruining this country for our children.”
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According to him, “Yoruba and Igbos are the worst Nigerians, because they choose enmity instead of cooperation and because of their enmity the whole country is paying for it. Were they to integrate, the country will be stabilized, no domination by anybody. Of the other groups no group can analyze its long time prospect and decide to go out of Nigeria. Nigeria is our home let us amend whatever is to be amended.”
In his opening remarks the convener and Secretary General of NACOPU, Cairo Ojugboh, said the gathering became important as the country goes towards the 2023 general elections so that leaders can begin to look at what is going to happen during the election, adding that the reason the leaders have decided to gather is to make sure that “we begin to educate our youths and our leaders who are the participants in this coming elections.”
He called on politicians across the country to behave like former President Goodluck Jonathan who accepted the result of the election even when the final outcome was yet to be determined.
“Jonathan was looking at the election, result had not even been announced and he threw in the towel, that was exceptional and after that election there was no crisis. If he had contested that result, crisis would have started immediately and that was exemplary and that is the situation we expect.
“When this election is taking place leaders must be able to speak with their followers, the youths must be made to understand that what you see on the social media might not be actually what it should be or what will be. After the election we must tell leaders and their followers that if you do not have peace, if there is problem, crisis, you will not be able to make a Governor. If you are a governor you will not be able to govern. So the need for peace is sine qua non for the existence of the country.”
