Insecurity: Oyo, Borno Governors ask political leaders to shun sentiment

Leaders across political divides in Nigeria need to shun sentiments and come together to proffer lasting solutions to the challenges of insecurity currently bedevilling different parts of the country.

Governors Seyi Makinde of Oyo State and Babangana Zulum of Borno State said this in separate remarks at the Oyo State Government House, Ibadan on Saturday when the Borno State Governor paid a courtesy call on Governor Makinde.

The Governors also called on residents and people of the various communities and states of the country to, in their various conducts, actions and inactions, exercise restraint in fuelling crisis and insecurity, noting that nobody can withstand the implication of lack of peace in a society.

Governor Zulum who was in Oyo State to receive an award of honor conferred on him by the Alumni Association of the University of Ibadan, said the visit to Governor Makinde was to commiserate with him on the unfortunate events that had happened in the state, with the most recent being the inferno at the Araromi spare Parts Market, Agodi-Gate, Ibadan.

“The nexus between peace, security and development needs not be overemphasized. You have seen and heard what has been happening in the far North-East. It is because of lack of peace. Therefore, I am calling on all those that are residing in these tensed towns and in general the North West to be careful of not fuelling crisis because nobody knows what will happen at the end of the crisis”, he said.

The Borno State Governor also called on the residents and people of Ibadan not to break the age long tradition of peace and hospitality that the city and state was known for, noting that many people, just like him, had lived in the city and attended the University of Ibadan in time past and could attest to its peaceful nature.

“We must preserve this land, protect the environment of this place and ensure the stability of this very important town for the benefit of humanity. Government has to be careful also in handling such issues especially politicians”, Zulum said.

The host governor, Seyi Makinde, congratulated his the Borno State counterpart on the well-deserved award conferred on him and said the security challenges facing the country should afford the leaders an opportunity to pull together to tackle the issue head-on.

“I also thank you for stopping by. It demonstrates that it has nothing to do with party. Governance is something that is collective and the focus is the same. I have had the opportunity to host my brother the Governor of Kwara State and we are also collaborating. When he came we visited the IITA together.

Some of the programmes we are collaborating with IITA, now they want to do it with Kwara. And we have set up a team to go to Kwara and see some of the good things they are doing there that we also want to learn and collaborate and we believe this is the only way we can develop our country,” he said.

The Oyo governor thanked the Borno governor for the visit and his concern for Oyo State and acknowledged the hard work he is doing in Borno state especially as it concerns insecurity.

“I offer myself, irrespective of party, to build bridges that will ensure that we pull together and defeat all the problems that we are currently having. So, this courtesy visit is timely and it is a demonstration to the whole world that we are together in the task of building our nation”, Makinde said.

Zulum was accompanied on the visit by Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazak of Kwara State, Ex-Governor of Borno State, Senator Kassim Shetima, Senator Abubarkar Kyari and Senator Muhammed Alli Ndume.

Nneka Ukachukwu