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The President of the Senate, Senator David Mark has cautioned former Head of State, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd) and other stakeholders in the nation’s polity, to stop over heating the polity through their unguarded utterances and drums of war ahead 2015 general election.
Mark’s admonition to the perceived polity heaters, was contained in a speech he delivered yesterday in Abuja to mark the end of 2nd Session of the 7th Senate.
He regretted that two years after the 2011 election that saw the present administration come into power, some politicians who could not secure the peoples mandates are still nursing their wounds and threatening to pull down the nation for their own selfish means, through their unguarded utterances.
“Now, it is time to speak out once again. Elections are two clear years away yet the collision of vaulting personal ambitions is overheating the polity and distracting the onerous task of governance. Overheating the polity is unnecessary, diversionary, divisive, destructive, unhelpful and unpatriotic. Into this vitriolic mix is being thrown a spate of mindless and distempered effusions that add no value whatsoever to the quest for national cohesion and development.
According to him, “Those beating the drums of war should realise that no nation can survive two civil wars in one lifetime. These trends must stop, and we must all remember that the nation is greater than sum total of its parts.
He recalled that for some weeks now there have been various crises rocking the polity such as the Nigeria Governors Forum, which has now snowballed into two factions and the suspension of some leading members of Peoples Democratic Party without recourse to the party’s constitution, as well as divisive utterances made by some politicians.
Mark however applauded President Jonathan for taken decisive measures against the lingering insurgence/terrorism in the land, particularly the recent proscription of Boko-Haram and Ansaru as follow up to state of emergency earlier declared and endorsed by the National Assembly in the three affected states.
“Nigeria armed forces are not at war with the communities in which the terrorists have entrenched themselves, nor are they at war with Islam, rather, we are at war with Boko-Haram and its affiliates, a terrorist network preaching ideology that violence against Nigerians and foreigners, Muslims and Christians, is justified in pursuit of depraved cause,” he explained.
He however cautioned the military to respect and abide by the rules of engagement, adding, “We appreciate the enormity of their sacrifice, asymmetric nature of the egregious foes, and the extremely hazardous operational environment.”
Mark, who paid glowing tributes to soldiers and other security personnel that have died in the war against terror, said their martyrdom shall not be in vain.
He further noted, “Despite the odds, a grateful and anxious nation eagerly awaits a quick but decisive victory. The nation cannot afford to be in a permanent state of war, and everything must be done to avoid a war of attrition.
“We expect Mr. President to fund the operation properly and support the states involved with additional fund to recover quickly. The Armed Forces would require the co-operation of the civilian population in the theater of operations to bring the campaign to a quick, fruitful and logical end,” he remarked.
