The Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, has blamed the worsening insecurity in the country on Nigeria’s elite class. Osinbajo insisted that the activities of the elites which promote ethnicity and regionalism are fueling insecurity in Nigeria.
Osinbajo said this while speaking at the LEADERSHIP Conference and Awards ceremony held at the International Conference Centre (ICC) Abuja, FCT.
He said “elites’ criticism of the activities of government without consideration is leading to insurrection and insurgency.”
He noted that insecurity in every part of the country will be addressed if the elites and other Nigerians return to a consensus.
Osinbajo added that the elites have been irresponsible when it comes to addressing the scourge of insecurity.
Osinbajo said, “Some of the elites can’t come to consensus when it comes to insecurity,” adding that most of the elites who are promoting ethnic agenda depend on dubious activities in promoting the regional and ethnic card.
“The elites use that to acquire more for themselves.
“Our political, economic and religious elites are socially irresponsible either by selfish interest or lack of self awareness and unable to build the social and political consensus upon which a just and orderly society can start.
“And because government must form some consensus, the elites used to paint them dubious ones. They promote tribal and religious frontline for legitimacy.
“And I don’t speak of ethnic or religious marginalisation which is another elites’ dog whisper to acquire more for themselves in the contrast of political good. I speak of the division between the haves not, the have no hope, and the who seems to have it all.
“So the attacks received on law and order is themselves symptomatic and they are driven by emerging critics of the fabric of order itself.
“These critics are manifesting as insurrection and insurgencies along various aspect of our identity.”