…Politicians should cooperate

By Jimitota Onoyume

Arewa leader, Alhaji Musa Saidu has appealed to politicians in Benue state to sink their differences for the common good, noting that this will restore peace to the state.

Saidu who spoke to the Vanguard on phone said the political class was largely responsible for the crisis in the state .

He said President Bola Tinubu inherited the ugly situation in the state and had been working with security operatives to bring the sad situation to an end. He enjoined opposition politicians to work with the ruling government in the state and security operatives to redress the problem.

He recalled that similar crisis caused by the political class  broke out  in Rivers state during the era of former governor Peter Odil, adding that he was part of those that mediated  return of peace.

“We as leaders and traditional rulers sometimes we are activist. I have been fighting for freedom all my life.  This Benue state’s issue is not a new thing.I participated in  resolving  crisis in Rivers state  and some other parts of the country. From experience I can say some of these crisis are political. The Benue issue may not be an exception. Crisis happened in Rivers under Dr Peter Odili as governor  and rival politicians, it spread to other parts of the Niger Delta region.

“I wrote a memo to Odili’s government over the crisis in Okrika then.  The records are there. I wrote the memo then as head of Nigeria youth federation and we even met with the governor. We were  led by late  Chief Harold Dappa Biriye. Governor Odili  was just 15 days in office then. The governor   even ordered that I should be given police protection but I declined as a youth president.

“All the crisis in states are politically related,.created. The politicians are using crisis to fight the ruling government. We saw it  in Rivers.

“Rival politicians are those creating crisis everywhere. The.coalition we  are seeing now is all about creating crisis but we can’t be  deceived . Nigerians are wiser.

“There is no alternative to Tinubu.

Instead of politicians to look for solutions they will be blaming security agencies. Lets  start from Boko Haram . Boko Haram  started as a movement, a  Commissioner was even appointed from them. See how it has spread today. Come to Zamfara, Katsina , Sokoto it is the same politically instigated crisis.  We hear everyday that somebody close to an insurgent leader was killed but the main person is never arrested.. All we hear is that  somebody close to him is killed. The problem is political , they should look at the political angle .

There is no alternative to Tinubu .as I said earlier. The president is doing his best same with the security agencies and the National Security Adviser,  NSA. The politicians should put their house in order to stop the crisis.

Mr Peter Obi condemning the president over Benue, this same obi did not condemn killing of northerners in Obigbo in Rivers state , Aba , Owerri .  He should say something about those killed in port Harcourt during  EndSars Protest. He should stop accusing the president because he wants power . He should not be a hypocrite. I am not speaking for Mr  President but I am expressing my candid opinion.

“Obi  is from South East ,.he saw what happened in Port Harcourt against northerners , how members of Indigenous People  of Biafra ,IPOB massacred northerners , he kept quiet.

“He should be careful of those northern politicians deceiving him.

“I am a son of a combatant soldier not one who came to sell meat or yam in the south.. My father fought for the unity of this country and that is what I am also doing. Ibos are not marginalized. IPOB should stop attack on northerners ,.nobody is marginalizing the Ibos.

“I respect people like the former Minister of Aviation KemaChikwe, former president of the Senate  Ken Nnamani. Chikwe gave one million naira to northerners in Aba  when the northern  community  was attacked there.. She was Minister of then. We want people to be truthful on issues in the country and not to politicise them. These are easterners that are truthful on issues .”

He also called for better pay for security operatives to motivate them to give their best.