Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Saturday, stressed that Nigeria as a country was better and stronger together than separated contrary to clamour from different quarters across the country.
The Vice President who stated this at the Pastoral Centre of the Catholic Diocese of Abakaliki during the wedding ceremony of one of his security aides, Nelson Nwokoro in Abakaliki called on Nigerians to reject and refuse anybody with the intention of dividing the country.
According to him, where there are difficulties as a nation, we should sit down, discuss and resolve it as such initiative was necessary for the development and growth of any nation.
He blamed the nation’s woes on corruption adding that if such phenomenon was adequately tackled, there would be enough resources to sustain every Nigerian.
He said: “This country is better together; stronger together than separated. There is nothing we gain by being separated; the countries around us are tiny countries, very tiny countries. Rwanda which is celebrated in Africa, Lagos state alone is six times the economy of Rwanda. One state in Nigeria.
“We are a great country and anybody that want to separate us, we must reject and refuse it because this country can provide for every one of us and provide well; our problem is corruption; if we check corruption in this country, there will be more than enough for all of us.
“I want us to bear in mind, that our country must remain a united country; we must stand together. As we go along, where there are difficulties we must sit down and talk about these difficulties and resolve them and move along as a family, as brothers. That is the way great countries are developed.
“When a country separates into a little bit, they will be picked up and they will be destroyed easily. In fact, I was saying to people in one of the state in the south west that when you become a small state then you will see the division in that small state; you will now be fighting each other. Let us come together and stay together.”
He commended the state governor, David Umahi for his stand on the unity of the country without comprising his own state or the south east region adding that ‘his stand will be one that will lead to the progress of the nation’.
In his remarks, Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi State who thanked the Vice President for coming to honour one of his Aides in such auspicious occasion called on the Federal government to assist the state in the construction of federal roads as the burden had over the years rested on the shoulders of the state government.
The Governor further thanked President Muhammadu Buhari and his Vice for assisting in transforming the agricultural sector of the state, irrespective of party affiliation. According to the Governor, Ebonyi has only one party as the present administration was committed to improving the living standard of the people of the State.
Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo at about 10:35am on Saturday arrived Abakaliki, the Ebonyi State capital for the wedding ceremony of one his aides, Mr Nelson Nwokoro.
On arrival, the VP proceeded to Pastoral Centre located along the Old Abakaliki/Enugu Road, Mile 50, Abakaliki where the wedding was already ongoing.
The wedding was being presided by Rev. Fr. Abraham Nwali.
He was accompanied by the state’s governor, Chief David Umahi and wife, Rachel; Minister of Transport, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Amaechi; former Governor Martin Elechi; Sen. Sam Egwu and wife, Ukamaka; Speaker, Ebonyi State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Francis Nwifuru, among others.
