Okon Bassey in Uyo
The Federal Government has been told not to treat or see killings in some parts of the country as politically motivated but should summon stakeholders meeting beyond political party affiliation to tackling the development.
The Speaker of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Onofiok Luke gave the advice while fielding questions from reporters in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State on how to address incessant killings in the country.
Luke stressed that there was urgent need for President Muhammadu Buhari led Federal Government to engage Nigerians outside the political party to discuss further on how to address the security situation the nation is now trying to contain.
The Speaker, who spoke against the backdrop of the recent killings in some parts of the country specifically in Plateau State maintained that insecurity developing in the country was beyond partisan politics hence the need to adopt bi-partisan approach to handle it.
If the stakeholders’ meeting is going to be held, he stressed that it would equally be a good forum to besides addressing insecurity, the gathering would also look into the issue of restructuring.
“It is not only Plateau state, it is sad, we have the situation in Zamfara, Benue and others, I want to say that a time has come that we must rise collectively; I had always been advocating bi-partisan approach in solving the crises of Nigeria.
“Mr. President needs to understand that he needs to call the entire country and rise above party partisanship, above cabals, call the leaders of this country together and let’s sit on a round table and discussed the way forward of this country.
“This is a good time to discuss restructuring. The President must take the leadership and responsibility of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and leave party partisanship for us to solve the problem we have now.
“It is time for Mr. President to act, what history would be recorded for him when he leaves office as the President of Nigeriaâ€, he stated, adding that the time for blames and excuses was over.
“It is no more time for excuses, but time for us to act and I want to call on each and every one of us to look beyond our party lines. If Mr. President deems it fit to call all of us to a roundtable, he should look beyond party lines; it is about Nigerians now, not about party or individual, it is about lives of Nigerians, it is very importantâ€, the Speaker opined.
Speaking on the security challenges in Etim Ekpo and Ukanafun local government council areas of Akwa Ibom state, he said the House of Assembly has waded into it as security summit is being planned, which at the end genuine reason would be given due attention.
Hear him: “Here in Akwa Ibom, the situation in Ukanafun and Etim Ekpo, the House of Assembly has risen to the situation and called for a security summit. I have been appealing to the young people in Ukanafun and Etim Ekpo to see me as their role model, that they should drop their arms.
“For those who have genuine case, the office of the Speaker, House of Assembly is open to them to come and table their genuine case; we will look into such cases to ascertain whether they have genuine cases they are fighting for, but they should know that, no case is worth the life of any individual, destruction of propertyâ€.
