No SNC, no peace in Nigeria - Makinde

[TheNation]

  Makinde   The prelate of the Methodist Church of Nigeria, His Eminence Dr. Sunday Ola Makinde, has disclosed that Nigeria will continue to grapple with security challenges and separatist agitations until the government subscribes to the much advocated Sovereign National Conference.

He said that only genuine dialogue that will involve all stakeholders across religious and ethnic divide will redefine Nigeria’s terms of co-existence and guarantee peace and security in all parts of the country.

Makinde, who addressed Newsmen in Onitsha, Anambra State at the end of the 30th Council of Bishops Conference held at St. Andrew’s Methodist Cathedral, noted that the refusal to convene the SNC by a crop of politicians amounted to postponing the evil day.

He said, “We must come together and discuss about the future of Nigeria, religious leaders, politicians, militants, separatists must come together and discuss how we can live together as a people”.

According to the prelate, the excuse that the National Assembly can serve the place of SNC was deceitful and diversionary, saying that members of NASS do not represent the interest of the majority of Nigerians, but were they to play the politics of self enrichment.

He warned that this spate of killings and large scale insecurity led to the civil war, wondering that 40 years after, the causes of the civil war were yet to be addressed.

“The government should act fast to avoid another war that is looming, Nigeria has over 260 ethnic groups and they should come together to decide their future and destiny,” he advised.

Continuing, Makinde, who was flanked by the Secretary of Conference, Rev. Rapheal Okpoko and Bishops of Owerri, Enugu and Abakaliki among others, deplored the poor state of infrastructure in Nigeria, stating that while the government officials were feeding fat on the nation’s commonwealth, Nigerians are languishing in abject poverty and deprivation.



TheNation