President Goodluck Jonathan has expressed concerns over what he called attempts by some politicians, groups and individuals to intimidate others and cause public disorder in Nigeria.
In a statement issued on Tuesday by his spokesman, Dr. Reuben Abati, President Jonathan condemned comments that could heat up the polity and cause disaffection in the aftermath of the Presidential and National Assembly elections.
President Jonathan is especially concerned about the negative triumphalism that has been put on display by certain elements since March 31 which flies in the face of his personal commitment to post-election peace, unity and national stability.
The President further called on all those, “who through their actions and utterances, have been promoting divisiveness, sectionalism and ethnic hatred in the country, following the outcome of the March 28 elections to cease and desist from actions that detract from the true spirit and culture of democracy envisioned by patriotic men and women of goodwill in Nigeria”.
He also condemned the undue harassment of public officials serving under his administration and urged all affected persons to continue to perform their lawful duties without fear.
“This should be a time for the healing of political wounds in the overriding interest of national unity, stability and progress, not a time for ethnic jingoism and the settling of scores.
“The Federal Government will not condone any attempt to instigate a crisis in any part of the country in furtherance of personal political ambitions,” the President warned.
President Jonathan assured all Nigerians that his administration would remain fully committed to national progress and the entrenchment of the best values of democracy for the good of all Nigerians.
He urged all Nigerians to go out en-masse again on April 11 to vote for candidates of their choice in the Governorship and State Assembly elections with the confidence that his administration would do all within its powers to ensure that they do so in peace, without threats, intimidation or violence from any quarters.
President Jonathan’s statement is coming two days after the Oba of Lagos, Rilwan Akiolu, in a speech asked Igbos in Lagos State to vote for the governorship candidate he supports, Akinwunmi Ambode, or “perish in the water”.
The comments, described as a threat to the Igbos, have drawn diverse reactions.
The APC has condemned the statement, saying the “Oba of Lagos’ does not speak for the APC”.
Most of the people arguing against the OBA’s statement as it is today, were among the sentimental bandwagons calling for and mounting black and unnecessary campaigns that, Hausa/Fulani should vacate ‘lands of the’ Beroms, Tivs, Jukuns, Katafs, Gwaris etc in the Middle Belt part of Northern Nigeria just few years back, at the times when all the ‘minority’ tribes of Nigeria saw Hausa/Fulani as tyrants ‘majority’ dominating and usurping anything that seem to had belong to Nigerian ‘minorities’.
The Igbos were indeed in that bandwagon and I do not know what made them to think otherwise now JUST BECAUSE THEY ARE NOW AFFECTED in a similar ‘thinking’ even though by just an OBA!!!