The Sultan of Sokoto, Saad Abubakar, says ongoing ethnic-centred agitations in the country are symptoms of rot in the Nigerian system.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Mr. Abubakar said this in Sokoto when Gov. Nyesom Wike of Rivers paid him a Sallah visit.
“In the past, a lot of things were done by some people with impunity and nothing was done.
“That is why you find lack of good governance now weighing us down now in the country.
“However, as it is now, no matter how bad your hand is, you cannot cut it and throw away,” the monarch said.
Mr. Abubakar stressed the need to use dialogue to resolve all the misunderstandings and problems in the country.
The royal father said Nigerians should sit together, brainstorm, look at what went wrong, retrace our steps and move forward.
The sultan also appealed to statesmen in the nation to intervene and assist in this direction.
According to the monarch, Nigeria is not short of statesmen who should help in championing the dialogue.
“We should not allow sentiments to rule our heads. Nigeria is a very big and lucky country and we have no any other nation we can call our own.
“We should love one another irrespective of any religious, ethnic or cultural differences,” Mr. Abubakar said.
He also extolled the developmental strides of Mr. Wike in Rivers, as well as his existing relationship with the Muslim community there.
Speaking earlier, Mr. Wike said the people and government of Rivers believed in the indivisibility of Nigeria.
Mr. Wike said there were better ways to solve the agitations and problems of Nigeria, rather than break up.
“Rivers and its people believe in the oneness and unity of Nigeria and that is our stand.
“The sultan is a father to all Nigerians and he is a peace builder in Nigeria and beyond.
“We have also been friends with Tambuwal since and before his emergence as a Speaker, House of Representatives and this will be sustained in spite of party differences,” Mr. Wike averred.
Governor Aminu Tambuwal, who accompanied Mr. Wike, had earlier said the visit would not have come at a better time than now, and restated his belief in the unity of Nigeria.
The governor said the visit would help to strengthen the bond of unity between the two states.(NAN)
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