Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja
The Director General of Progressive Governors Forum (PGF), Dr. Salihu Lukman, has challenged the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led federal government to take more responsibility and develop proactive responses to the problems of insecurity being compounded by ethnic hatred in the country.
The director general in a statement issued yesterday titled, “Cries for Justice: Sasha and the Burden of Political Leadership,” said, the reported clash between Hausas and Yoruba traders in Sasha, Ibadan last Thursday should be alarming for every Nigerian.
He noted that at a time when the issue of banditry and criminal conducts of individuals in the guise of herdsmen dominated public discussion in the country, events in Sasha had further inflamed ethnic tension in the country.
Lukman lamented that the level of intolerance in the country on account of ethnic background was beyond imagination.
He pointed out that before Sasha, there were many reportedly alleged cases of communal violence across the country, adding that till today, there was hardly any reported position or proposal taken by any of the national organisations.
The director general said the few cases of deliberations in the chambers of the National Assembly, for instance, were even more worrisome as members just adopt positions based on ethnic consideration.
He stressed that the source of it borders on how issues of justice are compromised.
He noted that in the circumstance Nigerians found themselves as a nation, they should begin to campaign that any political leader who overtly or covertly defended criminality must be regarded as either a criminal or one with intention to commit crime too. The APC chieftain wondered why any form of defence of criminality to dominate political debate and contest in the country should be allowed.
Lukman stated: “This is not just a problem of one party. All the parties are guilty. Certainly, because APC is the governing party it has to take more responsibility. We must appeal to our leaders to rise up to the challenge of developing proactive responses to the problems of insecurity being compounded by ethnic hatred in the country.
“Our parties must wake up to take all the necessary steps to take decisions, which should guide the response of every leader and member. This is not just a partisan matter.”
The director general stressed that as the country moves towards 2023, it is important that political parties consider new approaches that should challenge political leaders to become leaders and champions of peaceful co-existence.
Lukman said with all the attacks on the APC, it has the best potential of coming up with initiatives that could push political leaders to work for peaceful co-existence in the country.
He noted that this was because apart from being a ruling party with the responsibility of providing political leadership, it is also a party that has committed itself to bringing about political change in the country.
