We are better together as Nigerians – Sajoh

A public commentator and former Adamawa Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mallam Ahmad Sajoh, said Nigerians would fare better together as one nation as against breaking up.

Sajoh made the observation on Monday in Maiduguri while fielding questions from our reporter.

He said agitators of separation needed to know that we have more in common.

“Separation may not serve the best interest of anyone. We must appreciate God’s purpose in putting us together. Nigeria is better together,” Sajoh said.

He observed that the growing agitations are the result of cumulative injustices done to different sections in Nigeria with Buhari administration being made a scapegoat.

“In addition, several people are beginning to believe that you cannot be allowed to lead this country until you present some level of agitations in a forceful manner.

“It worked with the South West in 1999, it worked for the South South in 2011 and the North used it in 2015. There has been this pattern and it’s nothing new.

“However, what is happening today is a culmination of our slide towards anarchy because the agitations are not just forceful but somehow treasonable in some cases.

“With non-state actors having hold of instruments of violence openly it’s becoming a worrisome phenomena,” Sajoh noted.

He said Nigerians needed to be fair to the Buhari administration in its efforts to address various challenges including security.

“You know Nigeria is a very complex country but so far the President has been able to navigate the situation. A lot of people see the security challenges as getting worst, but it’s not true.

“The North East is no longer under the flag of Boko Haram, suicide bombings have stopped, peace in the Niger Delta has been effectively consolidated, abductees are almost always eventually recovered sometimes in record times.

“On infrastructure, the railways are now running on two guages, the standard and narrow guages. Abuja to Kaduna, Lagos to Ibadan and Warri to Itakpe are all new.

“Abuja, Kano, Port Harcourt and Lagos Airports can now compete with any Airport in the world. The Eastern flak has four new deep sea ports, while hundreds of kilometers of roads have been constructed while the second Niger bridge is almost completed,” Sajoh said.

He also noted that in agriculture, rice pyramids are springing up in many parts with thousands of people getting gainful employment.

On Buhari’s speech on Democracy Day, Sajoh said the address was okay, adding that the president accepted responsibility for actions of his administration and gave out a score card as well as concern on where targets are not met.

“But the most important part of the speech is the empathy expressed. I think the president deserves commendation for empathising with families of our gallant fighting forces and the innocent citizens who lost their lives,” Sajoh said.