Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, has challenged the elders in northern Nigeria to raise their voices against insecurity as they did during the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan.
He made the call while addressing supporters of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at a rally on Thursday in Lafia, the Nasarawa State capital.
Dogara said, “On the issue of insecurity, all of us know what is happening in Borno and, unfortunately too, between Abuja and Kaduna, as well as in Zamfara, Katsina, Nassarawa, Benue, Plateau, and even Sokoto states.”
“Now, I cannot even mention all because it is a general problem in the county, but I was highlighting the states where the problem is more endemic as of now. The issue is this when this thing was going on under Jonathan, we had Borno elders always speaking. Where are the Borno elders now?” he questioned.
He added, “Where are the leaders of Northern Nigeria now that this problem has become endemic? What are they saying now? Are we not guilty of what we allow?
“The truth is that if we don’t rise up to the endemic challenges now, sooner than later if things continue this way, we are not going to have a country. So it is our responsibility to rescue Nigeria from the clutches of insecurity. Without security; we would not have a meaningful democracy.”
The Speaker said the alleged silence of the leaders on insecurity in the region could be taken as enabling the poor management of security in the country.
He condemned the purported elevation of some public office holders, saying those praising them were bringing destruction upon the country.
“Just like my last speech to Nigerians that were gathered in a rally like this in Gombe, I said that the 2019 general elections are not about President Muhammadu Buhari, it’s not about Atiku Abubakar; but I said it is about you who are gathered here and it will be a referendum on insecurity and hunger in this land,” Dogara recalled.
“The sad reality in Nigeria is that by our silence we have condoned those who have been unable to effectively tackle the insecurity in the nation. We have wittingly become enablers of evil.”
The lawmaker stated further, “You know what enablers do? Enablers don’t build a country, only courageous people do. What enablers do is that they instigate the worship of individuals and the office they occupy; they will confuse such an individual with accolades.
“You know none of us was built to receive worship, anyone who attempts to receive worship will meet destruction in his wake. So that is why we are witnessing destruction in Nigeria because we have elevated some human beings to the status of God.”
