Governors have told Acting President Yemi Osinbajo that they are united with the Federal Government to keep Nigeria as one indivisible entity.
Speaking to reporters on the outcome of the governors’ meeting with the Acting President at the Presidential Villa in Abuja; Oyo State Governor, Abiola Ajimobi said, “It has been unanimously decided that the unity of this country is sacrosanct, is non-negotiable and we have all agreed to work together to educate people”.
Following the escalation of ethnic tension last month, the meeting was the last of Professor Osinbajo’s consultations with various groups of leaders.
Osinbajo had met with leaders of thought and traditional rulers from the North and the Southeast where the indivisibility of Nigeria was talked about.
Though, the hate messages from the separatist groups in the Southeast and the October quit order against the Igbo issued by some youths in the North remain unabated.
The Oyo State Governor continued by saying, “Any time you have agitation, usually, there will be poverty, there will be unemployment, there will be hardship; so, we should address fundamentally these areas of poverty, unemployment and hardship”.
“Nigerians are by nature a united people; nobody cares whether you are from the North, South or the East.
“The unity must be there and we cannot play with the unity of this country. The consensus has been that there must be unity.
“The message is for Nigerians to work more together and collaborate. We have more to gain when we are united. We cannot afford to break, and anybody who is thinking of that he is wasting his time and we will not allow it, not in this country. All of us are unanimous about that.
“To you the media, look for what unites us and not sensational news. If we fight, everybody will lose, have you ever seen a country that fought civil war and remained the same? We don’t want to be another Rwanda and Somalia and all these places. The government is doing its best.” he said
Before the end of the meeting, Osinbajo urged the governors to ensure the safety of all Nigerians living in their states.
He said; “We as a Federal Government are committed to working with the state governments in ensuring peace and stability in our country. I want to charge each and every one of us as top of the agenda for us is the peace and security of lives and properties of those who live within the borders of our states.
