The Sultan of Sokoto, Saad Abubakar, said on Tuesday that
ongoing agitations in the country are symptoms of rot in the Nigerian system.
Abubakar stated this in Sokoto when Rivers State Governor,
Nyesom Wike, paid him Sallah homage.
The Sultan said: ”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.”
Abubakar called for dialogue to resolve all the
misunderstandings and problems in the country.
He 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 resolving the crises.
“We are not short of statesmen across the country and they
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,” Abubakar said.
He also commended Wike’s developmental strides in Rivers, as
well as his existing relationship with the Muslim community in the state.
Speaking earlier, the governor said the people and
government of Rivers believe in the indivisibility of Nigeria.
He said there were better ways to solve the agitations and
problems of Nigeria, rather than a pondering on a 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 Governor Aminu Tambuwal
since and before his emergence as a Speaker of House of Representatives and
this will be sustained despite the party differences,” Wike stated.
NAN
