Following the lingering insurgency in the country by members of the dreaded Islamic sect, Boka Haram, former Governor of Abia State, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu yesterday said that if the situation was not put under proper control, President Goodluck Jonathan might be the last president Nigeria will ever have. Speaking to newsmen at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos shortly after arriving from the United Kingdom, Dr. Kalu urged Nigerians to work together to ensure a stabilised internal security system in the country.
According to him, the problem of Bokom Haram concerns not only the President but all Nigerians pointing out that one of the major ways of resolving the problem was for Nigeria to collaborate with international organisations and countries in fighting the terrorists. He said”Well, when I was travelling precisely on the 26 of April. I left this airport and I spoke to the airport correspondents and I said there was a need to collaborate with international organisations.
You see, this issue is not about President Goodluck Jonathan. If we don’t take time and work together as Nigerians, Jonathan might be the last Nigerian President. Jonathan might be the Gorbachev of Nigeria. And that is the truth, so we better wake up. Political class, business class, military, civilians must now stand up to work for our internal security. Internal security is more important than anything we have done and I believe that once we are able to come together Nigeria will be alright.
As of now the country is in pains; the country is in problem and some people are taking it very lightly. We are suffering from pains of our people; we are suffering from pains of the Nigerian system. This is not about which part of the country you come from, it is about Nigeria. Nigerian people should take what is happening seriously and I am surprised that the political class and the private sector are still joking with this matter.
This is a serious matter. Anybody’s child can be kidnapped; whether it is at Chibok or any other place, Nigerian should take this matter seriously. Can you imagine how many Nigerians that have been killed; how many of us that have been wounded. I want people to be as wise as my grandmother. I want people to take this matter seriously. Those girls kidnapped are our sisters; they are our daughters. It is because none of us has lost anybody that is why to some people; it is looking like a joke.
We should stop taking this as a joke and take the matter very seriously in order to move forward”. The former Abia State Governor further stressed that the country could disintegrate if Nigerians don’t come together to fight and protect the unity of the country. “We should not lose what we have. We should be able to come together as one family and fight because if we don’t take time; I repeat it for the second time, Jonathan will be the last president of the name Nigeria” he added.
Commenting on whether the Federal Government should negotiate with members of Boko Haram on the release of the Chibok girls, Dr. Kalu said that it was necessary stressing that the lives of the girls were greater than any other consideration. According to him, “Government can negotiate formerly or informally. It can send agents to negotiate on its behalf without getting involved. The US does this in Afghanistan and other places. It can negotiate formerly or informally”
He however called for a healthy opposition amongst political parties in the country noting that it was good for the growth of democracy in the country. “It is good for every government to have a good, healthy opposition. People say APC is saboteurs party, I don’t agree with that. In a healthy democracy, there is supposed to be criticism. I want my party the PDP to stand up. It is only in viable opposition that leaders will stand up. Leaders will be sleeping when there is no opposition” Dr. Kalu affirmed.