ABUJA – The Deputy Chairman, Senate Committee on Navy, Sen. Nuhu Zagbayi (PDP-Niger), has said only unity among Nigerians would defeat insurgents waging a relentless war against the country.
Zagbayi told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja that partisan politics and primordial sentiments, such as religious and ethnic differences, would weaken Nigerians’ resolve to confront terrorism and insurgency.
“The country is at war with the Boko Haram insurgents and politics is not helping us. Nigeria has never faced war during democratic regime.
“Now how do we as country unite against our common enemy because we know Boko Haram is not discriminating against party or religion.
“Anyone that crosses their (faithfuls) path, if you are not willing to convert to their own way of life you can be killed.
“Now wont it be better for us to come together and ensure that we save this country from what they are doing rather than allowing partisan politics to preoccupy us?’’ he asked.
According to him, if the situation is not brought under control before the 2015 elections, some Nigerians may be disenfranchised.
He said although the Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) expressed optimism that elections would hold in the crisis-torn areas, the seizure of some villages in the North East might make it difficult.
“At the rate we are going, I think we need to reconsider whether we should continue with business as usual or put a pause to business as usual and eliminate this challenge we are facing.
“Is it an emergency situation we are facing now, when towns and villages are being ransacked and people are killed? I think, it is an emergency situation.
“I wonder how elections would hold in towns like Mubi.
“Now, if we are to hold any elections, will anyone go there as an electoral officer?
“In a city or town which name has been changed and there is a completely new “government’’ in place I doubt it.
“In some local governments and, actually villages, I don’t see any election holding in those villages,’’ he said. (NAN)
