(http://fmi.gov.ng/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/labaran_maku-300x243.jpg) Information Minister, Mr. Labaran Maku has called on politicians to desist from exploiting the security situation in the country to further their political interests. He made the call in Lagos when he represented President Goodluck Jonathan at a book launch titled "The Nigeria of our Dream", written by Chief S. O. Igbe, the Iyase of Benin Kingdom.
He said a situation that is inimical to the future and stability of the country should not be politicised. "I believe that we must keep the search for votes in 2015 away from Boko Haram. What I am seeing now is that everybody is using this as a political issue for votes and I think we must keep partisan politics away from something that is really dangerous to the future and stability of this country", the Minister stated.
He explained that the Federal Government is exploring various options to tackle the security challenge in the country but advised those calling for amnesty for the insurgents without any condition or commitment to peace, to situate their views within the context of the reality of the situation on ground, as the terror groups have continued the campaign of murder and destruction unabated.
"How will a nation state worth its name, without any condition, without any remorse, without any commitment to dialogue or discussion just gratis pronounce amnesty to a group of people who are killing others simply because they are different from them or they perceive them to be different, not that they have done anything wrong, not that they have any special case. Look at the horrendous thing that took place in Kano. What will you say to the relations of those people?", he said.
Mr. Maku also stated the commitment of the President to the anti-corruption crusade particularly through reforms in the criminal justice system by amending those laws that created room for persons standing trial to seek perpetual injunctions or delay trial.
He informed that the President had suggested the possibility of establishing special courts to be devoted to anti-corruption to ensure speedy trial of corruption cases.
Mr. Maku was optimistic that the transformation agenda of the present administration would address the nation's infrastructural decay and governance deficit, which were imposed on the country by military rule, but appealed to the people to be patient with the President who is now tackling decades of decay in the various sectors of the economy.
"The problem Mr. President has today is that the failures of the last 30 years or so, we want him to solve them in two years. We will aspire to do so and we are struggling hard to do so. We will not relent in our efforts to address those problems because history has placed it on our shoulders to do so now and we can't make excuses", he remarked.
He mentioned that the power problem in the country, which was brought about by lack of investment in the sector for almost 20 years, would soon be a thing of the past when the 10 new power plants being constructed by this administration come on stream by the end of this year.
The Minister added that the railways which were comatose in the last 20 years had been rehabilitated with trains now moving from Lagos to Kano while the rail track from Maiduguri to Port Harcourt would be completed this year.
In his address, the Guest Lecturer, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN) attributed the cause of insecurity in the country to the implementation of some government policies especially the Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP).
He expressed concern about how the Criminal Justice System in the country was hijacked by the rich and powerful in the society who exploited the system to frustrate trials.
Also speaking, the author of the book, Chief S. O. Igbe, the Iyase of Benin Kingdom said, if the Police Force is properly organised, it would do a lot towards achieving the "Nigeria of our dream".
He mentioned culture, education, family, sports, leadership and governance as some of the institutions that are vital to the social and economic development of the country.
Via: Federal Ministry of Information (FMI) Nigeria