*Urges Buhari to listen to voice of reason, cautions politicians against reckless statements*National census coming a year to election, dangerous, northern elders say *Wants government to provide security, address impending food scarcity*Atiku, Sultan of Sokoto, others proffer solutions
Chuks Okocha in Abuja
Former Military Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar yesterday painted a gloomy picture of Nigeria, stressing that the nation was at crossroads.
He said this while speaking as the chairman of the 19th Daily Trust Dialogue with the theme: 2023:The Politics, Economy and Insecurity.
He also called on President Mohammadu Buhari to listen to the voice of reason and act swiftly to address the crisis plaguing the nation. He equally appealed to politicians to always mind their utterances, saying all must understand that they have no other country than Nigeria.Nigeria is once again at a crossroads. Insecurity remains the single most difficult challenge for our country today, he lamented.
He also called on the federal government to see, whatever we discuss and agree today, we hope that the authorities will take it in good faith and work with it. In my own experience as a leader, I have found that collective wisdom is all better than individual ability.
He added: The Boko Haram insurgency in the north-east, banditry in the north-west, violent secessionist agitations in the south-east, kidnappings and abductions of travellers across many states all continue to fester in the land. Add to these, ethnic, religious and communal conflicts are rearing their ugly heads again in many parts of the country.
All of these have greatly challenged and overstretched our security forces. These challenges have caused thousands of deaths and millions of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Nigeria over the past 13 years.
He quoted the Global Conflict Tracker compiled by the US Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) to have disclosed that about 350,000 persons had been killed and three million displaced directly or indirectly in the conflict in the north-east since 2009.
Also quoting a report by Beacon Consulting, a Nigerian security risk consultancy, Abubakar disclosed that Nigeria recorded 574 cases of kidnappings and 431 confirmed fatalities in security incidents that cut across 29 states and 96 Local Government Areas in December 2021 alone.About 75 per cent of the kidnappings and 57 per cent of the fatalities occurred in the north-west, he said further.
This is clear indication that the epicenter of insecurity in the country has shifted from the north-east to the north-west, he declared.
He said a major cause of insecurity in Nigeria was the proliferation of all calibre of weapons in the country in particular, and in the West African sub-region generally.
For example, he said the 2018 Small Arms Survey estimated that there were over six million of such weapons in circulation in Nigeria, adding that this certainly exacerbated the insecurity situation presently in the country.
In terms of the economic outlook, Abdulsalami, said insecurity in the country was worsened by the dire economic situation.
According to him, In the past three months or so, economic growth rate and inflation have improved somewhat. The economy grew by between four and five per cent since June last year, continuing the recovery from the near economic collapse of 2020. Inflation figures have also dropped to 15.4 per cent, from a four-year high of 18.17 per cent in March 2021.
All of these figures are contained in the 2022 Budget Breakdown and Highlights presented by the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning early this month. But the impact of these numbers on the lives and wellbeing of the ordinary Nigerian is suspect.
Unemployment and underemployment remain at record levels, and over 80 million Nigerians are still caught up in needless poverty. All of these tend to have negative effects on security.
In fact, Nigeria now faces a food security crisis that is compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic and banditry in many states of northern Nigeria. Both of these have disrupted the fragile value chains across the country and negatively impacted the ability of Nigerians to produce, process, and distribute food. The result is a continuing rise in the prices of food items beyond the reach of many Nigerian families.
On top of all these, fuel prices are expected to rise significantly in the coming months as announced last November by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation. When this happens, as the government has planned, it will push many millions deeper into poverty.
He added: Young people and women are the demographic groups most affected by the countrys dire economic outlook. For example, estimates by the National Bureau of Statistics shows that while the national unemployment rate stood at 33 per cent by the end of 2020, unemployment for young people between ages 15 and 34 years was 10 per cent higher at 42.5 per cent.
He stressed that if these are not carefully managed, the frustrations of these groups could easily boil over into a national conflagration worse than what was seen during the #EndSARs protests.However, these are not doomsday predictions but a warning to which all stakeholders must pay heed, the former head of state added.
On the political context, the former military leader said the worsening economic and security situations in the country during an election year make it a very challenging period for Nigeria that must be carefully managed by all concerned.
Already, he noted that calls for restructuring Nigeria and for reviewing the constitution have reached fever pitch.
He said: There are calls too for how the resources generated in the country are shared by its constituent parts. Also, for the first time in Nigeria, southern governors have ranged against their northern counterparts, each demanding the presidency for their region.
Meanwhile, some groups would like to balkanise the country and go their separate ways.
In addition to these, Abdulsalami said politicians across all parties were already jostling for power at all levels, explaining that some even use inflammatory political rhetoric to achieve their ends.
According to him, others are presently stoking political fires that would be difficult to put out even after the elections, adding that some again, are lying low, looking to spring surprises on their opponents.
Worse still, political rivalries are sometimes turned into personal fights between supporters of one politician and another. In some instances, these rivalries have degenerated into violence and deaths. None of these is new in Nigerian politics.
And yet, none of them have been fully resolved. It appears that Nigeria is stuck politically in the same place and our democratic experiment has refused to grow beyond these issues, even after more than 60 years of national independence and self-government.
All of these developments make 2022 a very crucial year for the country and its people. Whatever we do or dont do this year will linger for a long time to come, he statedHe explained that the election year calls for statesmanship and patriotism, adding that, it calls for restraint among all politicians in words and deeds. And above all, it calls for serious social and economic programmes that would help pull Nigeria out of the woods.
Speaking on the way forward, he said, As we enter into this important election year, I will like to use this forum to send a few reminders to us all. Let us all remember that despite all the challenges and threats, Nigeria remains one.
For this, we give thanks to Almighty Allah and the resilience of Nigerians. Our unity, and our large and youthful population remain are our greatest strength. We must not compromise these. Instead, we must consolidate on them to chart a way out of current challenges.
As we in the National Peace Committee have been doing for years now, all stakeholders must work with an open mind towards building peace across the country. The government should channel redouble its efforts and channel more resources towards securing peace.
Traditional rulers, and religious and community leaders should support the government towards securing peace for our people. Without security, there is no country.
Our political class must realise that the fate of Nigeria lies in its hands and choose to do good in this moment of history. As they jostle for power in the coming elections, all politicians must watch their words and deeds carefully and avoid saying or doing things that will further heat up the polity.
We must all remember that no one can rule over a nation in ruins. Leadership is a collective responsibility, and we must all play our parts positively, the former military ruler said.He pointed out that in November last year, the federal government through the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs. Zainab Ahmed unveiled a National Development Plan with an investment size of over N348 trillion.
This investment was expected to be funded collaboratively by both federal and state governments, and by the private sector.
If implemented faithfully, the plan will build infrastructure all across the country, expand the private sector, develop social services like all health and education for all Nigerians, and create millions of jobs for our teeming youth over the next five years.
Obviously, there is not much time left for this government to achieve all of these. But I am convinced that the scale of this investment is precisely what Nigeria needs now. So, regardless of party or political differences, the next government can embrace this plan and use it as a blueprint for our collective development.
It has the potential to make Nigeria another success story so that we can take our rightful place among the committee of nations, he said.
Also speaking at the event, the Northern Elders Forum (NEF) objected to plan by the federal government to conduct a national census a year to the 2023 general elections, stating that it portends a very dangerous omen.
The position of NEF was disclosed by the Director of Publicity and Strategy, Dr Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, who said that holding census when election was near would create a lot of tension with several meaning ascribed to it.
Baba-Ahmed urged the federal government to focus its attention on addressing the security challenges facing Nigeria as well as the impending food scarcity in the country due the security crisis.
Lending his voice to the dearth of quality governance in the country, the spokesman of the NEF said things have gone so bad that, 90 per cent of our governors have no business being in power today.
He warned against electing a President in 2023 whose only credential is his ability to buy votes, saying, Nigeria does not need an ethnic president, but a competent leader who can provide leadership to move the country forward.
Also speaking, former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar said what the country needs to bounce back to reckoning was a leader capable of addressing the challenges facing the nation.
What is important now is to identify a competent leader that can get us out of these crises. We have the capacity to pull this country out of her present predicament. We must do the needful and most importantly, I believe a leadership that will prioritise education is desirable, Atiku said.On his part, the Sultan of Sokoto, His Eminence, Saad Abubakar III called for continuous dialogue as a way of building national consensus.
I am one of those who so much believe in dialogue and I believe there cannot be too many sessions not only in this country but across the world. Let us close ranks and come together to see what we can do to move this country forward in peace and prosperity, he added.
In his contribution, Borno state governor, Prof. Babagana Zulum decried activities of insurgents in the north-east, attributing their evil campaign to lack of adequate quality, functional education in the land.
According to him, investment in education remains a vital tool in addressing most of the nations socio-economic challenges.
Like Loading...
Read more:
Abdulsalami: Nigeria at Crossroads, Insists Nation is Bleeding - THISDAY Newspapers
- Classic Maya collapse - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia [Last Updated On: June 16th, 2016] [Originally Added On: June 16th, 2016]
- Socio-Economic Collapse | Prometheism.net [Last Updated On: June 17th, 2016] [Originally Added On: June 17th, 2016]
- Bronze Age collapse - Simple English Wikipedia, the free ... [Last Updated On: June 19th, 2016] [Originally Added On: June 19th, 2016]
- Natural Disasters and Socio-Economic Collapse [Last Updated On: June 28th, 2016] [Originally Added On: June 28th, 2016]
- Socio-Economic Collapse in the Congo: Causes and Solutions [Last Updated On: July 25th, 2016] [Originally Added On: July 25th, 2016]
- What Explains the Collapse of the USSR? [Last Updated On: August 23rd, 2016] [Originally Added On: August 23rd, 2016]
- 10 Steps to Prepare for Americas Economic Collapse [Last Updated On: November 23rd, 2016] [Originally Added On: November 23rd, 2016]
- Modern Survival Manual Surviving the Economic Collapse [Last Updated On: December 4th, 2016] [Originally Added On: December 4th, 2016]
- Socio-economic Collapse | Futurist Transhuman News Blog [Last Updated On: December 23rd, 2016] [Originally Added On: December 23rd, 2016]
- Prout Globe [Last Updated On: January 7th, 2017] [Originally Added On: January 7th, 2017]
- Where Should the External Priorities of the Visegrd Lie? - Visegrad Insight [Last Updated On: February 6th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 6th, 2017]
- New Texts Out Now: Helga Tawil-Souri and Dina Matar, eds. Gaza as Metaphor - Jadaliyya [Last Updated On: February 6th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 6th, 2017]
- PH gov't, communists urged to pursue talks even without ceasefire - Inquirer.net [Last Updated On: February 6th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 6th, 2017]
- Kazakhstan Going Into Soft Power Overdrive - EurasiaNet [Last Updated On: February 6th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 6th, 2017]
- Economic Crash 2017 and How the Next Financial Crisis Could Be Worse Than 2008 - Lombardi Letter [Last Updated On: February 6th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 6th, 2017]
- Mass incarceration and the perfect socio-economic storm - OUPblog (blog) [Last Updated On: February 6th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 6th, 2017]
- Why 'financial inclusion' may be the wrong terminology - NewsDay [Last Updated On: February 7th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 7th, 2017]
- Celebrating Black History: Detroit Techno icons - Mixmag [Last Updated On: February 7th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 7th, 2017]
- 'Conspiracy' in peace talks collapse seen - Inquirer.net [Last Updated On: February 9th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 9th, 2017]
- Zuma's interventions will deal with white monopoly capital - Office of ANC Chief Whip - Politicsweb [Last Updated On: February 12th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 12th, 2017]
- $294 million secured for Kariba dam rehabilitation - Bulawayo24 News (press release) (blog) [Last Updated On: February 15th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 15th, 2017]
- SA needs a law addressing land restitution without compensation - Nkwinti - News24 [Last Updated On: February 15th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 15th, 2017]
- Gambia: The New Gambia Are We Ready For Business - Freedom Newspaper [Last Updated On: February 15th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 15th, 2017]
- Financial Black Swans Could Rock 2017 Stock Market Forecast - Lombardi Letter [Last Updated On: February 17th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 17th, 2017]
- Zimbabwe: A Crisis Unfolding - Zimbabwe | ReliefWeb - ReliefWeb [Last Updated On: February 17th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 17th, 2017]
- 'Colliery to start producing coke in April' - Chronicle [Last Updated On: February 18th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 18th, 2017]
- Who We Play For saving lives through athlete heart screenings - Tallahassee.com [Last Updated On: February 19th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 19th, 2017]
- Dailytimes | Terrorist resurgence - Daily Times [Last Updated On: February 19th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 19th, 2017]
- Financial Black Swans Could Rock 2017 Stock Market ... [Last Updated On: February 25th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 25th, 2017]
- Facing tragedy with courage - The News International [Last Updated On: February 28th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 28th, 2017]
- Skilled workers key to the success of any construction project - Daily Nation [Last Updated On: March 1st, 2017] [Originally Added On: March 1st, 2017]
- The Upcoming Economic Recession in 2017 Has Already Begun - Lombardi Letter [Last Updated On: March 2nd, 2017] [Originally Added On: March 2nd, 2017]
- Rethinking Nonviolent Resistance In The Face Of Right-Wing Populism - Huffington Post [Last Updated On: March 4th, 2017] [Originally Added On: March 4th, 2017]
- First ceiling collapse at Charlotte Maxeke in January already, claim staff - News24 [Last Updated On: March 4th, 2017] [Originally Added On: March 4th, 2017]
- Rethinking Nonviolent Resistance in the Face of Right-Wing Populism - The Wire [Last Updated On: March 4th, 2017] [Originally Added On: March 4th, 2017]
- Vladimir Putin Isn't a Supervillain - Yahoo News [Last Updated On: March 4th, 2017] [Originally Added On: March 4th, 2017]
- Historical Materialism Versus Historical Conceptualism - Dissident Voice [Last Updated On: March 5th, 2017] [Originally Added On: March 5th, 2017]
- Sierra Leone News: STATUTORY MEETINGS OF WAMZ AND WAMA END IN FREETOWN WITH RENEWED ... - Awoko [Last Updated On: March 6th, 2017] [Originally Added On: March 6th, 2017]
- Nigeria: Sokoto Govt and World Bank pledges $28.8million for rehabilitation of collapsed Dam - Ecofin Agency: Economic information from Africa [Last Updated On: March 8th, 2017] [Originally Added On: March 8th, 2017]
- World Bank, Sokoto Govt commit N9b for rebuilding of collapsed ... - THISDAY Newspapers [Last Updated On: March 8th, 2017] [Originally Added On: March 8th, 2017]
- Terms for states as N500b Paris Club refund is ready - The Nation Newspaper [Last Updated On: March 12th, 2017] [Originally Added On: March 12th, 2017]
- Obasanjo urges Buhari to expose treasury looters News The ... - Guardian [Last Updated On: March 17th, 2017] [Originally Added On: March 17th, 2017]
- Fragmentation in the Netherlands | RealClearWorld - RealClearWorld [Last Updated On: March 17th, 2017] [Originally Added On: March 17th, 2017]
- North Korea: A Humanitarian Crisis Decades In The Making - Huffington Post Canada [Last Updated On: March 17th, 2017] [Originally Added On: March 17th, 2017]
- Yemen: IPC Analysis - Summary of Findings, Acute Food Insecurity Current Situation Overview | March - July 2017 [EN ... - Reliefweb [Last Updated On: March 17th, 2017] [Originally Added On: March 17th, 2017]
- 2018 election: The last chance or lost chance - New Zimbabwe.com [Last Updated On: March 19th, 2017] [Originally Added On: March 19th, 2017]
- Statement of IGAD Council of Ministers' consultation on the current situation in the region - Reliefweb [Last Updated On: March 19th, 2017] [Originally Added On: March 19th, 2017]
- 10 Facts to Know About the Stock Market Crash of 1929 - Lombardi Letter [Last Updated On: March 19th, 2017] [Originally Added On: March 19th, 2017]
- Advani, Modi and...Yogi? Why Adityanath's appointment is a political masterstroke by Modi - Economic Times [Last Updated On: March 21st, 2017] [Originally Added On: March 21st, 2017]
- Implement new fish farm system urgently - fishing communities appeal - Graphic Online [Last Updated On: March 21st, 2017] [Originally Added On: March 21st, 2017]
- How to stop the collapse of the Dutch left - EUobserver [Last Updated On: March 21st, 2017] [Originally Added On: March 21st, 2017]
- Cadre deployment does little for the country's future or the wine ... - Daily Maverick [Last Updated On: March 23rd, 2017] [Originally Added On: March 23rd, 2017]
- Turning Maphisa into an agro-processing hub - Chronicle [Last Updated On: March 23rd, 2017] [Originally Added On: March 23rd, 2017]
- What's Left? - London Review of Books (subscription) [Last Updated On: March 23rd, 2017] [Originally Added On: March 23rd, 2017]
- Jamaica's future choked by cancer of corruption - Jamaica Observer [Last Updated On: March 27th, 2017] [Originally Added On: March 27th, 2017]
- A toxic combination of declining social status, poor health and failed relationships is being blamed - Washington Times [Last Updated On: March 27th, 2017] [Originally Added On: March 27th, 2017]
- Venezuela, Constitutional Dictatorship Or Drug-Gang Regime? - Worldcrunch [Last Updated On: March 29th, 2017] [Originally Added On: March 29th, 2017]
- Keys tackle topical consumer concerns - Manx Radio [Last Updated On: March 29th, 2017] [Originally Added On: March 29th, 2017]
- 'Politics of interests, allegations creating instability' - The News International [Last Updated On: March 29th, 2017] [Originally Added On: March 29th, 2017]
- Zuma cabinet reshuffle: what people are saying - GroundUp [Last Updated On: March 31st, 2017] [Originally Added On: March 31st, 2017]
- Debunked: The myth of the Golden Age of the Baltics in the Soviet Union - UpNorth [Last Updated On: March 31st, 2017] [Originally Added On: March 31st, 2017]
- Time for a rebirth of Zimbabwean politics - Bulawayo24 News (press release) (blog) [Last Updated On: April 7th, 2017] [Originally Added On: April 7th, 2017]
- Time for a rebirth of Zimbabwean politics - New Zimbabwe.com [Last Updated On: April 10th, 2017] [Originally Added On: April 10th, 2017]
- Time for a rebirth of Zimbabwean politics The Zimbabwe Mail - The Zimbabwe Mail [Last Updated On: April 12th, 2017] [Originally Added On: April 12th, 2017]
- Poland For Beginners: 'Some political reforms bring different results ... - PoliticalCritique.org [Last Updated On: April 12th, 2017] [Originally Added On: April 12th, 2017]
- Ramboll hired to monitor cleanup of Bento Rodrigues dam disaster - Consultancy.uk [Last Updated On: April 12th, 2017] [Originally Added On: April 12th, 2017]
- A case for engaging North Korea - AmeriForce Publishing, Inc. [Last Updated On: April 14th, 2017] [Originally Added On: April 14th, 2017]
- End of Transition: Armenia 25 Years On, Now What? - Armenian Weekly [Last Updated On: April 14th, 2017] [Originally Added On: April 14th, 2017]
- Trump Administration Must Act To Address The Plight of Christians In The Middle East - Huffington Post [Last Updated On: April 15th, 2017] [Originally Added On: April 15th, 2017]
- Kazakhstan Could Become Qazaqstan as it Eyes New Alphabet - Newsweek [Last Updated On: April 15th, 2017] [Originally Added On: April 15th, 2017]
- Church happenings, Easter Week events - Allied News [Last Updated On: April 15th, 2017] [Originally Added On: April 15th, 2017]
- Govt panics as wheels come off - DailyNews Live - DailyNews [Last Updated On: April 15th, 2017] [Originally Added On: April 15th, 2017]
- Mares: Drivers Of Economic Leveling - Vermont Public Radio [Last Updated On: April 19th, 2017] [Originally Added On: April 19th, 2017]
- Cornered govt slammed for ambush economic policies - New Zimbabwe.com [Last Updated On: April 21st, 2017] [Originally Added On: April 21st, 2017]
- The five 'infections' of the social democratic 'family' in the Western Balkans - Open Democracy [Last Updated On: April 21st, 2017] [Originally Added On: April 21st, 2017]
- Global community marks International Day for Street Children - BusinessGhana [Last Updated On: April 21st, 2017] [Originally Added On: April 21st, 2017]
- Seen & Heard: Bortolami Gallery Opening Date - Tribeca Citizen [Last Updated On: April 27th, 2017] [Originally Added On: April 27th, 2017]
- Trump and the Yemeni Quagmire - International Policy Digest (press release) (blog) [Last Updated On: April 27th, 2017] [Originally Added On: April 27th, 2017]
- Of Critics and Human Development - THISDAY Newspapers [Last Updated On: April 27th, 2017] [Originally Added On: April 27th, 2017]
- Trump And The Yemeni Quagmire - Huffington Post [Last Updated On: April 28th, 2017] [Originally Added On: April 28th, 2017]