One of the strong political allies of President Muhammadu Buhari and immediate past Minister of Youth and Sports, Mr Solomon Dalung, has reviewed the state of the nation, especially against the backdrop of escalating insecurity, and submitted that Nigeria may not exist in 2023 if the precarious situation continues.
Speaking to Sunday Tribune exclusively, Dalung identified the emergence of those he called conflict entrepreneurs who are benefitting from the terrible situation and are unwilling to let it end as the greatest challenge. He said some of these violence entrepreneurs are within the corridors of power, making “heavy businesses out of the pathetic security situation.”
He said, “What happened in Imo was horrific and grave, talking along the line of national securitybecause it was an attack on the national security. It was carried out successfully because impunity has taken the centre stage of our national values, meaning that people now get away with evil, with crimes and with anything. Some of them even brag about it and are also seen within the corridors of power.
“My concern now is not 2023, because I don’t know if I will be alive by 2023. I think the primary concern of every right-thinking leader in this country should be how to narrow the gap of division among Nigerians and how to tackle the security situation. What contributions are we going to make as people? How do we mobilise our communities to play some complementary roles along with security to safeguard lives and properties. Election is not even the most important thing to me; the most important thing is that there should be Nigeria, because the way we are going, we may not have a country in 2023. I think these great leaders were more concerned about their interests, which is zoning and not the interest of the suffering, helpless, frustrated and impoverished people of the North.
” The most important thing now is to secure our country and put food on the table of people so that they can begin to think normally. If things continue like this, will it be possible to hold elections? Have you not heard how bandits invaded political meetings and sacked politicians? How are you going to campaign in 2023 that you are talking about zoning? For me, the most important thing now is for our security forces to rededicate themselves, look at the country and its people and put in their best to secure the country. Let our leaders who are in position of authorities to make decisions and budget also consider the suffering of the people and be patriotic enough to understand that we need to have a country which we can leave for the unborn generations. We must narrow the gap of our differences and come together to defeat criminals; otherwise, these criminals will defeat us.”