.Mourns Kur
Former Governor of Abia State, Orji Uzor Kalu, has advised those fanning ambers of war through their utterances and hate speeches to desist from setting Nigeria ablaze.
He warned: ‘‘Nigeria cannot afford another civil war.’’
He also urged Nigerians to work against utterances of politians that are detrimental to the unity of Nigeria.
For instance, he said that it was a bold move by the late Abdulkadir Kure and the Lagos State former Governor, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and himself that thwarted the the former President Chief Olusegun Obasanjo’s third term ambition.
His words: Though many Nigerians never believed the former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, wanted to stay beyond 2007, actually there were such contraptions. But the late Abdulkadir Kure, the Niger State ex-governor; the Lagos State former Governor, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and I raised the alarm that scuttled the plot.”
Kalu whose absence during the interment of his political associate and friend, the late Kure, elicited murmurings, spoke when he paid condolence visit to the former military President, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (IBB); the Emir of Minna, Alhaji Umar Farouq Bahago and the deceased family in Minna.
“When the third term agenda were muted by Obasanjo we raised objections and stood against it; if not there wouldn’t have been the Goodluck Jonathan and Muhammadu Buhari administration now.
“We fought against the plot with all the courage we could muster. We had scheduled to meet at Sheraton Hotels, Abuja but the DIG of Police would not allow us. We went to Niger State House in Abuja, the security agencies still came after us to stop us.
“We never relented, we continued moving from one place to another because the federal security might was always after us but to ensure that any plot that is not in the best interest of Nigerians did not sail through, we ended up at Abia House in Abuja,” the Abia State former governor said.
Kalu further revealed that while they had scheduled to meet at Sheraton Hotel, the police sealed the place and kept close watch on them. On the late former governor, Kalu said, “Kure is more than a friend. It is because of my personal relationship with the late former governor that earned me traditional title of ‘Bariazaki of Lapai’, adding that he had met with Kure in December but never knew he would never see him again.
Meanwhile, the politician cum businessman has solicited for the support of traditional institutions in Nigeria in building bridges of understanding among the diverse religious, cultural and ethnic and political entities in the country.
Kalu spoke at the palace of the Emir of Minna, Alhaji Umar Farouq Bahago.
According to him, “Those who have experienced war in the past would realize that it is an ill wind that blows no one good. Let us be conscious of our utterances to avoid setting Nigerians against one another out of desperation by promoting sensitive issues such as religion for cheap political gains.
“God did not make mistake creating the entity, Nigeria, with multi-religion, tribes and tongue that differ.”
Kalu however advised traditional rulers to rise up to their responsibilities of promoting peaceful coexistence among all Nigerians devoid of tribe and ethnoc-religious inclinations.
Kalu also called on President Muhammadu Buhari to end what many have termed ‘ethnic cleansing’ in southern part of Kaduna State.
He said that it was unfair that innocent citizens were daily being massacred while the state government looked the other way or chose to engage in media hype to make Nigerians believe that ‘all was well with the Southern Kaduna people’
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