…Says Nigeria competing with bandits, armed robbers to recruit unemployed youths

…says no more to austerity

…our national integration is very low – Ganduje

By Bashir Bello

The National Leader of the All Progressive Congress, APC and former Governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Monday said the nation is competing with armed bandits and armed robbers to recruit army of unemployed youths in the country.

This was as he said the country is under policed and should recruit the youths in large numbers into the security and agricultural sector to defend and feed the nation.

Tinubu stated this during his 12th colloquium organized in Kano State to mark his 69th birthday celebration.

He said himself and the Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje represent the unity, peace and harmony of the country.

Tinubu said the colloquium which took place in Kano has a political undertone to further cement the relationship of the country.

According to him, “Why are we in Kano for this colloquium? Why? It is because there is a Fulani man, a herder man who gave his daughter to a family of Yoruba man. Dan Fulani, Dan Yoruba. And some people are agitating wrongly and I say if the colleague can encourage and support me to go and spend a couple of days with my brother and in-law in Kano and demonstrate that he has not quarreled with me and has not seceded from Nigeria. I don’t need a passport or visa to get to Kano, so maybe others would have peace of conscience and live in peace and harmony. That is what Ganduje and I are representing to show to Nigerians. And that is the purpose of the colloquium.

“We are able to show Nigerian together that the Fulani man and Yoruba man can show the entire nation that perseverance, great understanding is a common blood that is flowing in our veins.

“Part of the reasons why herdsmen are moving round is because of extreme climate change. This is not harmattan period.

“We better spend our economy and make sure we tune our economy programmes.

“This is the time to put stimulus expenditure in place, this is no more time for austerity. This is not the time to constrain the economy but the time to create the opportunity.

“If you hear America spending 1.9 trillion and they are not looking back and they are still asking for three trillions for infrastructures, for renewal and creating of jobs and your own unemployment rate is at 33 per cent. And you ask us to keep on fasting, we are fasting no more. The one we are fasting spiritually is voluntarily. We have been fasting since many years.

“I hope the National Assembly, the President himself would not pay attention to austerity.

“Sovereignty is that of Nigeria and it is only the federal government that has that sovereign power and most use it for the benefit and development of Nigeria.

“It is time, we are under policed and we are competing with armed robbers and bandits to recruits from the youths who are unemployed. 33 per cent unemployed. Recruit 50 million youths into the army and various security agencies. Take them away from their recruitment source. What they would eat is growing here, you create demand and consumption.

“Don’t talk about illiteracy, anybody who can own gun, cock gun and can shoot is technically competent to repair a tractor in the farm. Not when you are computer literate that you can be technically competent. Those who are working on sugar cane farms, can do so many other things like horticulture. We can create the jobs,” Tinubu said.

He also said Kano is lucky to have had Ganduje as it Governor for the executed and ongoing projects carried out by his administration in the state.

Earlier, Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje said national integration of the country is low hence the need for all to come together to address the integration.

Ganduje said tribalism, religious, intolerance, nepotism, suspicion among others were responsible for the low integration.

“The theme for this year’s colloquium is “Our common bond, our common wealth: Imperative of National Cohesion for growth and development” is heavily loaded. It is a challenge to politicians, elites and others. This topic has exposed our level of national integration. It is very low when measured with indicators.

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“Issues of tribalism, religious, intolerance, nepotism, suspicion and all these variables unless we come together, we will continue to lose out.

“Mr. President is very serious and committed to the unity of this country but he alone cannot do it alone, we have to put our heads together in order to live that our Nigeria is only one Nigeria. Infact, if we are to assess ourselves, all Nigerians as far as national integration is concerned we must be born again,” Ganduje however stated.

In his remarks, the National Caretaker Chairman of the All Progressive Congress, Mai-Mala Buni described the colloquium as timely particularly at the critical time when conflict and diversity is a challenge in some states.

Highlight of the event include paper presentation titled “Where can growth go? The Social Conflict push” by Professor of International Political Economy, Prof Dani Rodrik and panelists discussion featuring Mr. Mohammed Yahaya (Resident Representative, United Nations Development Programme, UNDP), Prof. Funmi Olonisakin (Professor of Security, Leadership and Development at King’s College, London), Ms. Amala Anku (Practice Head, Africa Eurasia Group, Washington DC and Ms. Nimdir Nansoh (Founder/CEO, Hop Africa, Jos, Plateau state).