VP Osinbajo visits Sokoto’s Sultan, restates importance of Nigeria’s unity

Nigeria’s Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, on Tuesday, visited the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Saád Abubakar III, and restated the importance of Nigeria’s unity as the pillar of its strength.

The vice president was in Sokoto in continuation of his consultation with delegates of the All Progressives Congress, APC, whose national convention to pick its presidential candidate for the 2023 general election will be held this weekend.

On arrival at the Sultan Abubakar III International Airport, Sokoto, Governor Aminu Tambuwal, a presidential aspirant on the platform of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, received the vice president.

Before the meeting with his party members, Prof. Osinbajo paid a courtesy call on the Sultan at his palace.

THE UNITY OF NIGERIA

At the palace, Prof. Osinbajo said one issue he considers most important is to keep Nigeria united.

“I think it is absolutely important that we recognise, and our government recognises, that our country is only great if it is united. 

“This country is great and respected worldwide because it is united, because it is diverse and we have not just the population, but we have a population that is vibrant and accomplished in various ways. 

“The unity of this country is why we are respected; the reason we occupy a central place in the comity of nations. 

“Nothing in any way should adversely impact the unity of our country. So, this is a very fundamental issue and I think this is one issue we have taken upon.”  

NIGERIA’S SECURITY STRUCTURE

On security, Osinbajo said one of the things he has learnt in serving as vice president “are some reasons we need to redesign our security architecture and how that is going to be designed.” 

PRAGMATIC COUNSEL

Vice President Osinbajo said he had always sought the counsel of the Sultan at all times in matters concerning Nigeria, noting that the royal father has always been willing to give honest and pragmatic advice.

“I will not go into details, but only to say that, Your Highness, you are certainly one person whose counsel I find everything I need whenever I seek it. 

“Not just truthful, straightforward, and honest, but also pragmatic and sensitive to the issues that affect our country. 

“So, thank you for your counsel and guidance at all times.”

RELIGIOUS HARMONY

In ensuring peaceful religious and ethnic coexistence, Prof. Osinbajo expressed delight at how the Sultan has handled such issues, acknowledging the Sultan’s work in collaboration with other clerics.

“I want to say also, Your Highness, that I am happy about how you have handled many of the issues concerning living together in religious harmony in our country. 

“And I know several leaders of the Christian faith who consider that your counsel is vital. I want to continue to urge that this is the way we must live.

“This is a country of diverse religions. Even those who say they don’t believe in God. But we are all Nigerians. 

“We must continue to accommodate everyone and I thank your highness for your leadership in ensuring that this country is united across religion and ethnicity.”

The vice president informed the Sultan that he was in Sokoto to consult and interact with the delegates of the APC to the party’s convention.

ETHNIC AND RELIGIOUS FAULT LINES

In his response, the Sultan said that religious and ethnic fault lines have been at the base of most of Nigeria’s challenges, expressing concern that this has negatively impacted Nigeria’s unity and stability.

“Anybody who wants to raise any problem, to cause confusion or cause violence, just cue to religion or ethnicity.

“I think it is important for us as leaders never to allow those criminals and terrorists to determine how we live our lives. 

“Those who are interested in peace, stability, and development are much more in number than those few terrorists who want to disorientate us from what we need to be and what we need to be as one big human race. 

“God didn’t make a mistake when he brought us into this world as Muslims, Christians, Hindus, or Jews. He made no mistake. 

“On issues of ethnicity, we didn’t make ourselves Hausas, of Fulani or Yoruba or Igbo or whatever. God Almighty did so. The earlier we know that and learn to live peacefully with one another, the better for us. 

“So, whoever is coming in as president in 2023 has a huge task: to knit this country back to what we used to have some decades ago when we lived in peace with one another.” 

KILLINGS IN THE SOUTHEAST

Condemning the spate of violence in the South East of Nigeria, the Sultan said the recent killing of a woman and her children in Anambra State was “de-humanising and most terrible.”

He said he has spoken with the Governor of Anambra State, Chukwuma Soludo and other leaders in the South East on the issue.

The Sultan commended plans being put in place to check insecurity in the South East.

The Sultan prayed for Prof. Osinbajo to convince delegates of the APC to the national convention to pick “the best material” to fly the party’s flag at the election.

After the meeting with the delegates at the International Conference Centre, Sokoto, the vice president, told reporters that “our party is fortunate that we have so many well-qualified persons running for the position of the president.” 

 

E/Suzan O.