Jonathan, on Thursday, assured Nigerians that despite the threat posed by the Boko Haram sect and other security challenges facing the country, Nigeria would not disintegrate. The president gave the assurance after the
president, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC),
Comrade Abdulwaheed Omar, and other speakers
at a national summit and rally entitled "Labour For
Peace, Unity and Development," organised by the NLC, told him and a former head of state, Dr
Yakubu Gowon, that Nigeria must survive.
President Jonathan, while giving the assurance,
acknowledged that the activities of the sect
remained a threat, saying that the bombing of the
communication facilities in some parts of the North
would affect the economic development of the
country.
He emphasised the need for peace if development
must take place, adding, "no matter what we think
that has been eroded, in a contemporary society,
there must be peace for development. For a nation
to develop, the first thing you talk about is
communication power.
"Now in the northern parts, communication power
has been threatened, because of insecurity. There
is no way that will not impact on the economy. For
us to move with the modern society, there must be
peace. We need peace if we must develop this
country."
To this end, the president told the gathering to re-
examine the role which labour and the citizenry
would play to achieve peace, and commended the
NLC for its efforts towards achieving peace in the
country.
He advised the congress to continue in its quest for
peace and continue working with the government,
adding, "we appreciate what the NLC is doing."
President Jonathan said: "Nigeria will not divide.
We have security problem, because most of the
people involved are ignorant. For us to move
forward, government and citizens must work
together.
"We can now talk about those calling for the
balkanising of Nigeria, so anyone that says they
want their own nation, which is Igbo nation, Yoruba nation are people who want to be kings in a tiny
island, and they will not get it, because Nigeria will
not divide. We must continue to be one Nigeria and government must work with labour."
Before declaring open the summit, President
Jonathan had urged labour to take advantage of the
on-going constitutional review process to make its
contributions by writing to the National Assembly.
The president of the NLC, Comrade Omar; former
head of state, Dr Gowon; the Sultan of Sokoto,
Alhaji Sa'ad Abubakar; Edo State governor,
Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, and the guest
speaker, Professor Etannibi Alrmika, who had all
spoken before the president, blamed the insecurity
on unemployment, ignorance and lack of education,
corruption, inequality and injustice and proffered
solutions.
Comrade Omar said the summit was put together
by the NLC as part of its continuing contributions to
tackling issues of development and the well-being
of the country, particularly as it related to security.
He stated that though, there had been attempts by
individuals, organisations, and government to
control the rising tension clearly, these efforts were
yet to restore the harmony being sought.
He said: "There were also queries on government's
abilities in tackling the issues. While the other
response was more damning, break-up of the
country on account of irreconcilable differences,
some say between the North and South, others
insist along the lines or divisions of major ethnic
nationalities with amendments here and there.
"Amazingly, erstwhile patriots, nationalists and
hitherto die-hard optimists started to join the army
of 'Break-up Nigeria.'"
Regrettably, the NLC president revealed that some
of the more belligerent groups had gone as far as
printing their flags and minting their currencies,
composing their anthems, while some had lodged a
request with the United Nations for membership.
He said: "The Nigeria Labour Congress, being a
pan-Nigerian organisation with a history of
nationalism and intervention dating to the
independence struggle, cannot fold its arms and
watch the country break up. This stems from its
conviction that Nigeria's existence as one
indivisible entity is inviolable, irrevocable and
inalienable.
"We, therefore, urge all Nigerians to close ranks
and believe in the unity and survival of our country
Nigeria. Nigeria must survive."
The summit is expected to come up with
implementable resolutions and recommendations
which will be passed on to the government and
other concerned stakeholders.
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