The federal
government at the weekend again warned that it would not tolerate or
allow any group operating from any section of the country to use any
form of agitation to disrupt the peace of the country...
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo made the declaration while addressing the people of Akwa Ibom State during his state visit to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the creation of the state.
The grand
reception of the anniversary was attended by past military and civilian
governors of the state, the Governors of Gombe, Delta, Ekiti, Taraba
States, the Oni of Ife, and the Managing Director of the Niger Delta
Development Commission (NDDC), members of the National Assembly, states
assembly, and traditional rulers from the 31 council areas, captain of
industries, among others.
President
Muhammadu Buhari, he said, is at all times prepared to engage and listen
to the grievances of every group in the country provided such
agitations are lawful and channeled through appropriate quarters.
He said: “We must not take for granted the steady progress of our economic growth and stability not just as a state but as a country; peace is the foundation of enduring prosperity and for peace to reign everywhere in Nigeria all of us as Nigerians must make necessary sacrifices.
“We are in a
situation where we must take seriously the admonition to love one
another, whatever complaints we may have must not be an excuse to
subvert the social order.
“The Buhari
government is prepared to engage and listen patiently to all sections of
the country and to act in the best interest of the nation and its
people.
“You and I
as individual also have major role to play, citizens everywhere should
never sit idle when misguided elements in our midst recklessly destroy
the common bonds of friendship, brotherhood that have been built through
tribe and tongue for decades.
“It is our
duty to speak up and convey the message of peace and reconciliation, a
message which is common to cultures and religion in Nigeria.”
The vice
president said the federal government was interested in the development
of the Ibom Deep Seaport and would support financially and otherwise in
ensuring the project succeed or completed.
The state Governor, Udom Emmanuel,
had earlier noted that the state came to being after years of
persistent struggling, praising the former military President, General
Ibrahim Babangida (rtd), for creating the state on September 23, 1987.
The governor who lauded the past leaders of the state for their vision and ingenuity in developing the state, promised to continue to build on their experiences to move the state forward.
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