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By Zika Bobby
Former Vice President Abubakar Atiku has condemned tribalism as a major obstacle to national progress, describing it as a “malignant disease” that must be rejected by all Nigerians.
In a statement issued in Abuja, Atiku lamented that the elites are often the most culpable in fostering tribalism as a divisive tactic to achieve their political ambitions.
According to Atiku, instead of assessing leaders based on their qualities and achievements, some politicians resort to appealing to tribal sentiments, urging their fellow tribesmen to vote against candidates from other tribes.
He advised electorates to eschew this deadly malaise and focus on electing leaders based on merit.
“In this coming election, I beseech you all as my esteemed fellow compatriots to vote according to your conscience and never allow anyone to subject you to the perverted delusion that you must not vote for a particular candidate just because he is Hausa, Igbo or Yoruba.
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‘”Even amongst ourselves let us begin to cultivate our relationship not on the incidental question of tribe but as common brothers and sisters united as fellow compatriots through our common belonging to one and indivisible nation,” he charged.
“ Your exclusive point of focus must necessarily bother on the competence of the person based on his antecedents amongst his numerous qualities rather than what tribe or ethnic group he hailed from.”
He added: “If I were to focus solely on tribe, I would certainly not have been able to marry my Yoruba-born wife in the 70s, who beyond my wildest imagination has come to be my Jewel of inestimable value.”
Looking back to the earliest epoch of the attainment of Independence, Atiku said the first republic stands out even till today as the golden moment in the annals of Nigerian political history.
“Let us all live like one single united family in peace, harmony and mutual co-existence, and build this nation to the visionary dream of our founding fathers” he said..
