Disturbed by the pervasive insecurity in the land, the National Consultative Front (NCFront), co-chaired by Alhaji Ghali Umar Na’Abba and Prof. Pat Utomi, has pleaded with former Heads of State and Presidents to “rescue Nigeria from imminent civil war.”
In a communiqué read by one-time Minister of State for Defence (Navy), Dr. Olu Agunloye, at the end of its meeting yesterday in Abuja, the group said:
“We are calling on elder statesmen to temporarily halt their well-deserved rest, and take the task of saving Nigeria from complete destruction.
“In this regard, former Presidents, Heads of State, ex-service chiefs and so on would be co-opted into a National Elders Committee.”
NCFront specifically requested General Yakubu Gowon (rtd) to summon a “meeting of erstwhile Presidents and Heads of State and their deputies so that the serving President may call for an enlarged Council of State meeting, which will also include former military governors and state governors –both serving and retired. This will also include representatives of the youths. The purpose is to correct the leadership structure failure in Nigeria.”
The citizenry was also challenged to rise up to the occasion of saving the most populous nation from going into extinction by reconciling all warring parties.
NCFront went on: “Attack on individuals, groups and public facilities must stop immediately. Nigerians must stop the dangerous practice of ethnic and religious profiling, as all of us could fall victims in our own country where we are both hosts and guests
“That the recent events in Nigeria resulting in very violent conflicts and killings have put the citizens of Nigeria in what can be called emotional lockdown, which invariably does not admit or allow any form of moderate views or moderation.”
The communiqué equally implored Nigerian leaders to desist from either patronising or blackmailing Igbo elite and leadership.
It called for urgent intervention on the proliferation of arms in the hands of non-state actors, adding that the national security architecture should be promptly reorganised and decentralised.
“We call on all political parties to suspend political events or keep them backstage to give room for activities that would bring Nigeria back from the brink.
“That we are calling on Nigerians to resist the outrageous cost of contesting elections and insist on electoral reforms. The details have also been given, with electronic voting and electronic transfer of information,” the group added.