President Goodluck Jonathan on Sunday chided some unnamed national elders who he accused of making
provocative statements capable of further dividing the
country along primordial cleavages.

The President described as worrisome that those fanning
the embers of disunity were elders who witnessed the civil war, saw its devastating effects on Nigerians and were supposed to be teaching the younger generation the need to be united.

Jonathan spoke at the 80th birthday reception organised in honour of the Chairman, Board of Trustees of the Peoples Democratic Party, Chief Anthony Anenih, at the
International Conference Centre, Abuja.

He told former national leaders who attended the event,
including Chief Olusegun Obasanjo and General
Abdusalam Abubakar (retd) to help in converting Nigeria’s diversity to strength.

He added that although the idea behind the creation of 36 states was for the country to be united, some elders still continued to exploit the cleavages.

The President said Anenih had continued to be relevant
politically despite his age because he had refused to join
the elders who always worked to divide the country along
religious and tribal sentiments.

He said, “When you are with Anenih, you will begin to
wonder how he has remained relevant politically over the
years. It is not easy for a politician to stay on top for a very long time.

“I see something in him which is the advice I will give all of us. Anenih as a leader has shown that he is a nationalist.He has not shown that he belongs to one tribe or religion.

“In spite of the challenges of politics, the unpredictable
environment of politics, he continues to stand tall. That is
why I am using this opportunity that we are celebrating
Anenih at 80 to plead with our elders to sing the song of
unity in this country.

“They should not continue to celebrate the cleavages that
probably supposed to have separated us. Let us convert
those cleavages to strength and turn Nigeria into one
indivisible nation.

“When Nigeria was amalgamated almost 100 years ago,
we had the North, South, West and East regions. You can
see that we have primordial cleavages. Maybe 36 states
were created because those cleavages were not bringing
the desired unity to the country.

“But even after dividing us up to 36 states, we still exploit these cleavages instead of strengthening ourselves. This is not the best.

“Even sometimes, such provocative statements come from elders who witnessed the civil war and are supposed to teach the younger ones the need for us to unite; the need to see ourselves as Nigerians.

“For Anenih, you have not been associated with such
provocative statements and probably that is why this hall
is filled up with all our former leaders, former CJNs, former
and present governors and religious leaders.”

The host, Anenih, said Nigeria might not be able to get to
the Promised Land without unity, forgiveness and the spirit of give-and-take.

He said since all those who mattered in Nigeria were
gathered in his honour, it would be the national interest for all of them to decide to forget the past and resolve τ̅☺ move forward.

He said he was thrilled by the presence of former President Olusegun Obasanjo at his birthday church service earlier in the day, describing it as a sign of forgiveness.

Specifically, Anenih asked Obasanjo, Abdusalami,
Babangida and Gen. Theophilus Danjuma to work for the
peace of the country.

He said members of the violent Islamic sect, Boko Haram,
who he described as the nation’s worst enemies, would
think twice if they saw the four former military officers
behind Jonathan.

He said, “I want to appeal to Babangida, Abdusalami,
Obasanjo and Danjuma that we need peace. They can give us peace.

“When you approach President Jonathan, you get disarmed because of his humility. If all of us are behind him and genuinely advise him, even our worst enemy, Boko Haram, will think twice if they see the three of them.

“I want to go to the Villa and find them eating together
with the President, it is then I can go and sleep.”
Anenih said his special 80th birthday message was for
politicians to wait for their turn as Jonathan had just
finished half of his first term.

“The President has just finished half of his first term. Let us take our time, wait for our time. Let us work together. Let us put our hands behind the President. Tomorrow it will be your time, today it is his turn. God is with Jonathan. We have to reach out,” he said.

In attendance at the event were a former Vice-President
Alex Ekwueme; Governors Emmanuel Uduaghan, Delta;
Liyel Imoke, Cross River; Isa Yuguda, Bauchi; and ex-
governors Christopher Alao-Akala and Segun Oni of Oyo
and Ekiti respectively.

Others were Justice Muhammed Uwais; Justice Alfa
Belgore; Chief Barnabas Gemade; Senator Ken Nnamani;
Alhaji Ghali Naaba; traditional rulers, members of the
National Assembly and members of the Federal Executive
Council, among others.

Source:www.punchng.com/news/jonathan-chides-elders-for-provocative-statements/

The President described as
worrisome that those fanning
the embers of disunity were
elders who witnessed the civil
war, saw its devastating
effects on Nigerians and were
supposed to be teaching the
younger generation the need
to be united.

jonathan dey visit nairaland?

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