By Aramide Oikelome Snr. Correspondent, Lagos
Few days ago, the Christian leaders in North-Eastern Nigeria called for the immediate suspension of all political activities in their region, following the incessant and unabated wave of terrorism and its resultant effect, to wit the wanton waste of lives, property and even resources.
Makinde Uche
The leaders, who made the call at a recent meeting, which held at Bishop Patrick Shehaam Memorial Pastoral Centre, Yola, the Adamawa State capital, also accused the political class of insensitivity to the plight of the citizens in the area, whose lives are being wasted on daily basis due to the insurgent attacks.
In a communiqué issued at the end of the meeting and signed by Most Rev. Stephen Dami Mamza (Catholic Bishop of Yola); Most Rev. Nemuel Babba (LCCN Archbishop); Rev. Samuel Dalli Danti (EYN President) and Bishop Amos Yakubu (LCCN Alheri; Bishop Yola), the leaders lamented that while politicians are busy with political rallies, campaigns and debates, the Boko Haram gunmen are busy killing innocent persons and destroying properties.
Their position is understandable, considering the fact that the spate of insurgency in Nigeria in the last five years has been catastrophic. Most worrisome also is the fact that although much is said to have been done by the government of the day to nip the ugly situation in the bud, there seems to be no solution in sight yet.
Last week alone, there were not less than three deadly attacks in Potiskum, Yobe State, Maha, Adamawa State and Kontangora, Niger State, respectively.
Of course, scores of innocent lives went with it. Not even the Nigerian military troops were spared as they were said to have been overpowered by the insurgents in Mubi, Adamawa State.
In spite of the outrage, the last one week has also witnessed a beehive of political rallies and campaigns, with the formal declaration of the incumbent President, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, to run for a second term in office. Of course, the President’s rally has set the stage for campaigns and counter campaigns by all the political stalwarts that want to occupy the seat of power come 2015.
Any wonder that the political class has been accused of insensitivity and callousness? Of course, this development has also led to the heated debate as to whether or not elections should hold come 2015. The questions at hand bother on whether or not the North-Eastern states should be exempted from the coming elections or not. Furthermore, should the entire time table for the 2015 polls be postponed or should it go on as planned?
Sunday Independent spoke with some eminent Christian leaders in the South West who expressed grave concern for their brethren in the North East. They also charged the politicians to concentrate their energy towards finding a lasting solution to the crisis that is currently ravaging the country.
Prelate, Methodist Church Nigeria, His Eminence, Dr. Samuel Chukwuemeka Uche:
If we suspend political activities in the North East, that means we are saying that the Boko Haram insurgents have succeeded. The reason these insurgents are mounting so much pressure now is to distract us so that the election will not hold. Of course we sympathise with Nigerians in these regions, but we also want to assure them that it won’t be the end.
They should rise up to confront the situation; all the religious leaders, traditional rulers and stakeholders should unite and rise up to confront the situation. Nigeria must not fold up because of Boko Haram.
In fact, if I were Mr. President, I will proscribe the three states where insurgency is so grounded now, namely Yobe, Borno and Adamawa states. I will not allow them to hold elections until they decide to be fully integrated back to Nigeria. Instead, I will declare total state of emergency there and give them military leaders to sanitise the states. Other states in the North East like Gombe, Jigawa and Bauchi states, where there is some measure of peace, can hold elections. But, those hot spots need complete overhauling.
Prelate-Emeritus, Methodist Church Nigeria, Dr. Sunday Makinde
I do not subscribe to suspending all religious activities; if anything, it is government that should be suspended. The cure for headache is not cutting off the head. Book Haram is not the concern of the North alone; rather, it is the concern of Nigeria and the whole world. If we suspend elections, then the insurgents will claim victory. We should not be cowards because the end of Boko Haram is near.
My advice to the Christians there is to persevere in the face of persecution. Christianity grew in the face of persecution. I also call on all Nigerians, ‘Let us join hands together to drive them out’. Boko Haram terrorists are not ghosts; they are human beings. Where do they get their food, water, petrol, soap and other basic necessities? Is it not from the people in their communities? The people in those communities also have to cooperate with government to wipe out these enemies of peace.
Also, the Federal Government should distribute relief materials to the victims of attacks and those that have been displaced. Let President Jonathan be bold to name the Boko Haram sponsors that are in his cabinet. Heaven will not fall. Although he did not create Boko Haram, he should be decisive in dealing with them.
Catholic Bishop of Ekiti, Most Rev. Felix Femi Ajakaye
Things are not normal. INEC (Independent National Electoral Commission) is not doing its work, but playing hide and seek. This is not the time for political rallies. We are not obeying the law of the land. Apart from the insurgency, our politicians should be sensitive. People that are being killed should be our priority. Why should they be killed? We should look inward. This is terrorism at its worst; even the soldiers are complaining of not being well equipped.
However, we can’t postpone the election. Doing so will be in favour of those saboteurs with hidden agenda. Rather than postpone the election, we should address the situation. In fact, the situation at hand is another way of diverting the attention of the people in order to bring back the tenure elongation campaign through the back door. At the National Conference, some delegates clamoured for it, but many of us opposed it. So, to postpone the election is to promote the agitation for tenure elongation.
Monsignor Gabriel Osu, Director of Communications, Lagos Catholic Archdiocese.
Unless we want to sacrifice more souls, there should be no election in those states. Since there is no peace in those states, there should be no election. Instead, there should be complete declaration of emergency rule.
It is so unfortunate now that in Nigeria, life is so cheap; it is as if life is no longer sacred. Look at the President’s declaration, there was no mention of those killed or bombed. So, how safe are we in Nigeria? What is TAN (Transformational Ambassadors of Nigeria) doing? What would have happened if it was another political party mounting those campaigns advertorials on the television and everywhere? Of course, they would have been attacked and their adverts suspended with immediate effect. But, because it is being prompted by the PDP (Peoples Democratic Party), nobody can stop the adverts and television campaigns.
Presiding Pastor, Soul Winning Chapel, Rev. Dr. Moses Iloh
We have not been told what Boko Haram is and what exactly they want to do. To cut the North East off from the election is to extinct them from Nigeria. Of course, we cannot do that, unless we are encouraging them to secede. It is so sad that we have not been told the truth. How can Boko Haram overcome the whole Nigerian Army? During the civil war, the whole world came out to fight Biafra out of existence. So, what is the problem now?
President Jonathan cannot be the Commander-in-Chief and watch all these terrorism growing in leaps and bounds. Can you imagine that even at his presidential declaration last week, there was not even a minute silence to pay respect to the dead? It is so unfortunate. My submission is this: Stop Jonathan and you will stop Boko Haram.
It may be necessary to postpone the election in order to sustain our sovereignty. Then, Jonathan should tell us how long it will take him to get rid of Boko Haram. Have you paused to ask: Why is it that everyone has suddenly become helpless in this matter?
The post 2015 polls: To hold in North East or not? Christian leaders speak out appeared first on Daily Independent, Nigerian Newspaper.