* Yakasai urges FG to stop security outfit
Wole Ayodele in Jalingo
The Deputy Senate Minority Leader, Senator Emmanuel Bwacha, has urged other zones and states in the country to emulate the South-west zone by establishing their own security network to complement the Nigeria Police Force.
Elder statesman, Alhaji Tanko Yakasai, has urged the federal government not to allow Operation Amotekun, a security outfit set up by the governors of the South-west to secure lives and property.
But describing the establishment of Amotekun as timely and a welcome development, the senator, who represents Taraba South Senatorial district in the National Assembly, noted that the task of securing the country could no longer be left in the hands of the federal government.
Fielding questions from journalists in Jalingo, Taraba State capital, yesterday at the end of a thanksgiving service organised by the Holiness Revival Ministry to celebrate the re-union of Bishop Daniel Kashibu after 38 years of divorce, Bwacha stated that it was evident that the security agencies were overwhelmed by the current spate of insecurity in the country.
According to him, “Operation Amotekun is a welcome development. I will advise other regions to follow suit immediately by coming up with their own internal security networks.”
Insisting that it has become imperative for other zones and states in the country to borrow a leaf from the South-west zone, Bwacha maintained that such a move would help in curtailing the spate of banditry, kidnappings and other forms of criminal activities across the country.
Bwacha, who is the Chairman, National Assembly Breakfast Prayer, also enjoined Christians holding public offices to live a life of purity and holiness as well as embrace restitution.
Meanwhile, Yakasai, has urged the federal government not to allow Operation Amotekun.
Yakasai, a former Presidential Liaison Officer and founding member of Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), told journalists after a closed-door peace initiative by some eminent Nigerians in Lagos at the weekend that arming the outfit was his major concern.
“If Amotekun is allowed, soon it may spill over to other regions and may become out of control when other regions come up with armed security outfits that may lead to uncontrollable situation in the country.
“Every Nigerian is interested in Nigerian project. Every Nigerian is benefitting from Nigeria as a nation,” Yakasai said.
Speaking on the 2023 presidency, he said: “There is no reason to deny the South-east the opportunity to produce the presidential slot in 2023.
“The North, West have had it. It will not make sense to deny the South-east. But then, the Igbo have to work hard for power and convince people because it is a matter of numbers.
“They have to convince the rest of the country to accept whoever they put forward to be accepted, ” he said.
He said there was need for mass-based political parties that would be controlled by the masses and not by a few individuals.
“In our days, nobody ever claimed to be the owner of NPN, NCNC, NPP among others. The people must make sure they take ownership of the party.
“I hope the people will try to turn the parties to the masses. The mistake former President Olusegun Obasanjo made was to say he was the national leader of a party killed the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP),” he said.
Yakasai said that when ownership of power is controlled by entire members, the internal electoral process would become better.
“In our days, we pay to be members of our party. That way, no one or few persons can control the party. The beginning has a bearing on the process,” he said.
“Political parties must find a solution to do away with issues that will make the people sceptical, ” he said
