- Lauds military, DSS for exposing Interim govt plot
- Insists on competence, fairness for NASS leadership
From Romanus Ugwu, Abuja
A pro-Tinubu group, The Natives, has appealed to the presidential candidates of Labour Party (LP) and People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Peter Obi and Atiku Abubakar, respectively, to join hands with the President-elect, Bola Tinubu to rebuild Nigeria.
The Natives also urged the duo not to abandon the country but to emulate President Muhammadu Buhari, who stayed back in Nigeria to contribute to democratic growth and allowed court processes after losing presidential elections thrice.
Speaking to newsmen on Wednesday in Abuja at a press conference, Supreme Leader of the Natives, Smart Edwards, thanked the military, police and the Department of State Services (DSS) for exposing the plot by some opposition elements for an interim national government.
He specifically pleaded with Obi to stay in the country as a patriot, who doesn’t need to go on exile because his talents, ability and contributions are needed in the country.
While calling on Obi and Atiku not to abandon Nigeria, Edwards said: “We are hearing rumours that some presidential candidates of various parties have started leaving the country, this is a trademark of any politician who is just an opportunist. We, however, called on our respected LP candidate, Obi to please stay in the country because his talents, ability and his contributions are needed in this country as a patriot, he doesn’t need to go on exile.
“We are also hearing that the PDP candidate, Atiku will soon be on his way back to Dubai, whether he has gone or about to leave, we appeal to him to stay back because his valuable contributions are needed in this country. We encourage all of them to emulate President Buhari who stayed back because that is the process of contributing to development of our democracy and Nigeria.
“For the President-elect, Bola Tinubu, his party lost elections twice but this one he won through proper collaboration and we are asking all to work together for growth of our beloved Nigeria and its democracy,” he said.
Edwards equally commended the security agencies for their commitments toward sustaining democracy in Nigeria, stressing that the DSS as an establishment acted swiftly to promptly alert and urgently; “inform the public of the capricious tendencies of desperate feudal political oligarchies, using unsuspecting youths to rubbish all institutions of government and denigrate them to promote anarchy and acts of discountenance in the country.”
“We must at this juncture openly commend profusely the swift response of the DSS under their Director General, the Defense Headquarters, and the entire Intelligence community, for their professionalism and commitment to their democratic obligation by alerting, and distancing the establishment from any complicity and readiness to frustrate any mischievous effort to truncate our much-cherished democracy.
“You may wish to know that pathetic political jobbers parading the nation appealing for interim government because of their conspiracy theories and illusions on the outcome of the just concluded elections have attracted shame for themselves and their co-travellers by the dignity of our gatekeepers, a worthy armed forces,” he quipped.
Emphasising that Nigerian military and the intelligence community deserve global applause, the Natives leader said Nigeria has been awake to the emergence of political saboteurs reminiscent of June 12, 1993, roaming the nation in search of collaborators to truncate 24 years of uninterrupted democracy in the country.
“These saboteurs by their open and sinister moves have been bungled and busted by the vigilance and verity of the DSS. So, for taking a professional stand and democratic position in the face of intending political catastrophe, protecting our constitution, and non-interference in the statutory roles of the electoral body, our military and intelligence community deserves global applause.
“Towards this end, the Natives of Nigeria encourage the military and the intelligence community to remain ever-committed to civilian rule and sustain their character as professionals and defenders of our sovereignty.
“We acknowledge their quest for more sophistication, better welfare, training, citizen support, and reinvigoration of our military architecture to serve the nation better and thereby sustain our formidable military might in the region while achieving national unity and cohesion.
“The renewed hope mandate certainly assures us of determination to invest in our security as a sector and this will no doubt revamp the glory of our gallant forces with renewed successes as giants of Africa and defenders of democracy,” he said.
Asked for his position on the leadership of the National Assembly, the Natives leader called for tradition of competence over religion and other sentiments, adding that fairness must not be jettisoned.
“The Natives comprises of all tribes, all tongues, all believe and all religions in Nigeria. The party that has won election (APC) has produced a Muslim-Muslim ticket on the bases of competence. This tradition must be sustained. The tradition of competence, legislative competence, hard work, contributions to victory must be given value.
“We believe that Christians are part of Nigeria, Muslims are part of Nigeria but we will not promote disunity because we are one tribe, one nation under God. So, we believe that the zoning belong to the party, they can choose whosoever they want.
“However, as Natives we advance that the constitution recognises a balance, and in that balance Christian can be found and are also worthy to be Senate President so as to have influence in their own country. The parliament has many offices, from Senate President, Speaker, Deputy Senate President, Deputy Speaker and other principal offices, let their be fairness,” they noted.