Osinbajo: We Must Attend To The Cries For Justice

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo says this is one of the most challenging times in history, appealing to Nigerians to resist any attempt to destroy the unity that they have lived and worked for.

Osinbajo made the appeal during the revalidation of his membership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) at Ward 1, Unit 3, Egunrege, Ikenne, in Ikenne Local Government Area of Ogun.

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The vice president said government would continue to attend to the cries of communities for justice, equity and fairness, adding that the nation is stronger together than apart.

He explained that security challenges being experience in the country were not insurmountable.

“We are in government at one of the most challenging times in history. The pandemic has made matters worse, and we have also had security challenges that have stretched our law enforcement capacities all over the country.

“What we must ensure are prosecution of all those who have been arrested for kidnapping, banditry and all other forms of criminalities. We must resist any attempt to destroy the unity of this country. Our people have lived and worked together for decades, even centuries.

“While we must attend to the cries of communities, and the cries of our people for justice, equity and fairness, we can do so within this same union. Ultimately we are stronger together than apart. There must be evidence that justice is being done. This is achievable by stronger collaboration between the police, states’ Ministries of Justice and the Federal Ministry of Justice.

“With the new Service Chiefs, we have a fresh set of eyes, intellect, skills and a fresh look at strategies against the insurgency in the North East as well as banditry and kidnapping elsewhere. In this new approach much greater emphasis is being placed on technology for surveillance, intelligence gathering and attack,” he said.

Osinbajo stressed the need to strengthen the community policing structures.

He said that states must continually train, educate and formalise their local security structures so that they could complement the Federal law enforcement agencies.

On the revalidation of his APC membership, he said he was pleased to participate in the exercise.

“Permit me to welcome you all to Ikenne my home town and more importantly the home town of Papa Obafemi Awolowo, the father and progenitor of the great movement that we call ‘the progressives’ today.

“It is on the broad shoulders of the social democratic philosophies of the maximum happiness and well being of all the people that we in our great party, the APC, stand firmly and confidently today.

“Party registration/revalidation is important because it offers us an opportunity to have a credible roll of members such that we are able to reach our members from the polling booth level all the way to the wards, local government, and federal constituencies.

“Why do we want to reach our people? The people are the party and the party is the people. Ours is a grassroots party; a party of the people. Our focus is on the welfare, prosperity and wellbeing of all our people,” he said.

In his remark, Gov. Dapo Abiodun commended Osinbajo and President Muhammadu Buhari for going back to their respective wards to revalidate their membership of the ruling party.

He said that the registration and revalidation exercise would be successful in Ogun adding that new members would be mobilised for the party during the exercise.