Contrary to media reports credited to one Murtala Gamji of the Northern Nigeria Youth Leaders Forum, who accused former Vice President of Nigeria, Atiku Abubakar, of political motives over his sincere call for the release of IPOB self-determination agitator, Mr. Nnamdi Kanu, a prominent group on the platform of Ethnic Youth Leaders for Peace (EYLP) has declared that the former Vice President was right absolutely.
The Gamji’s group had claimed that Atiku was using Kanu’s case as a tool to launch his political campaign and that his call would “set the country on fire.”
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But responding to Gamji’s claims through a statement signed by its national coordinator, Rilwan Mohammed Tukur, on Sunday in Abuja, the Ethnic Youth Leaders for Peace said it was clear that Murtala Gamji misunderstood the meaning of Atiku’s good intentions, “which have nothing to do with personal interest. If Atiku has any interest in the matter, it is only his desire for peace and stability in the country.”
According to Tukur, as a statesman, Atiku will always support efforts that bring peace and unity to Nigeria.
“Contrary to Gamji’s wrong understanding of Nigeria’s problems, there are some legal issues that need political solutions for the sake of peace and stability.
“Did the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua not resolve the Niger Delta crisis through a political solution instead of endless court cases?
“The Niger Delta is peaceful today because Yar’Adua chose dialogue over war — he released the militant leaders from detention and granted them amnesty.”
The statement said it is unfair to attack Atiku for lending his voice to calls for a political solution to the IPOB issue.
It added that Atiku is a statesman who will always support actions that bring peace to Nigeria, as the saying goes, ‘peace is better than being right.’
“Does the Northern Youth Leaders Forum have short memories? Where were they when 400 Boko Haram members were freed and enrolled into the deradicalisation and rehabilitation programme of the federal government? That programme was part of former President Buhari’s non-legal and non-military solutions to the Boko Haram problem. Why didn’t Murtala Gamji speak up then?
“Katsina State recently held talks with bandits who have been terrorising their communities. Those affected chose dialogue because they realised that military action alone cannot solve everything. Why didn’t Murtala Gamji condemn these peace efforts? One can not treat one security issue differently from another because all of them are threats to the country’s peace. The IPOB agitation is no less serious than other security challenges Nigeria faces.
“It is, therefore, completely wrong to attack Atiku for calling for the release of Nnamdi Kanu as part of efforts to find a political solution to the IPOB issue. We can not pretend that IPOB is not a national problem that needs quick political resolution rather than endless court battles. Atiku’s only interest in Kanu’s case is to help reduce tension in the South East through political dialogue instead of continued legal fights that only create more anger among IPOB supporters.
“As a true statesman, Atiku will always support any effort aimed at achieving peace and stability in Nigeria.”
