By Christian George
The Director General of Voice of Nigeria, Osita Okechukwu opined that insecurity in Nigeria, especially South East is regrettable and unfortunate.
The media guru, while fielding questions from Daily Post editor, Emmanuel Uzodinma recently, said that ex-president Muhammadu Buhari did not tackle the herder/farmer clash immediately.
Okechukwu, who is one of the foundation members of the All Progressives Congress, explained that the past administration also had its best sides.
According to him, “Insecurity in the Southeast and albeit generally in Nigeria is regrettable and very unfortunate. Like every coin, there are two sides to the coin. As I hinted earlier, it was an unforced error that our leader didn’t pounce with immediate effect when the Herders/Farmers’ clashes erupted. Methinks that could have erased ethnocentrism out of the imbroglio.”
He urged Nigerians to do away with ethnicity and tribalism.
He opined that it was on this premise that the past president offered Ndigbo the Olive Branch.
He added that the current dispensation has inherited what he termed as “laurel” from the Buhari administration by incorporating the Igbos into government.
“On the other hand, one keeps on advising my people and every Nigerian to gradually weed ourselves of the ethnic toga all of us wear. We are all tribalists in one way or the other, which is unfortunate. This is why when Buhari offered Ndigbo the Olive Branch in 2003 and 2007, they wittingly or unwittingly rebuffed him. This was when he nominated Rt. Hons. Chuba Okadigbo and Edwin Umezoke, respectively, as his vice presidential candidates. This is the laurel President Tinubu graciously inherited,” he added.
