State of the Nation: CPC Asks Nigerians to Close Ranks for National Unity, Stability

Sunday Okobi

Concerned Professionals Congress (CPC) has appealed to Nigerians from all walks of life to quickly to close ranks and help government tackle the challenges currently threatening the peace, unity and stability of the country.

CPC added that only genuine, patriotic and well-meaning Nigerians can save the nation at this critical time.

The group’s Coordinator, Tukur Musa Tilde, and the Chief Media Strategist, Emeka Nwapa, who jointly addressed a press in Lagos monday, stated that if there was any time all Nigerians needed to close ranks and collectively confront certain life-threatening issues affecting the nation, “that time is now.”

The group stated at an emergency meeting to deliberate on the state of the nation that the time had come for all patriotic citizens in the country to begin to spread the message of peace to all Nigerians, work for peace, pray and commit themselves to the cause of the unity and stability of the country.

CPC listed the nation’s current challenges as economic meltdown, cash crunch arising from macro/micro-fiscal reforms, general low purchasing power arising from declining crude oil sales worsened by oil and gas pipeline vandalism in the Niger Delta resulting in 1,500 megawatts drop in power generation, abductions, kidnappings, inter-community clashes and lately, an upsurge in the marauding killer herdsmen saga that has taken many lives.

“The list appears endless but the situation has not diminished our faith in the unity, indivisibility and indissolubility of this nation.

“It has not eroded our trust in the ability of this nation to emerge as a potential world super power. We are fully convinced about this just as we suspect too that there are forces that don’t want this country to attain its rightful place in destiny.

“This is why we urge fellow Nigerians to tarry a while for proper interrogation and introspection. How come these issues are becoming dominant now especially after we have seen the end of Boko Haram insurgency, thanks to our gallant and courageous military? These posers are critical and germane.
“The answer is simple: Nigeria is at the threshold of a new dawn, we are on the verge of making history as a nation and as a people who can defy all odds to build a great country for themselves. Let us therefore turn our seeming adversity into advantage,” Tilde said.

On the herdsmen challenges, the group expressed confidence that President Muhammadu Buhari’s recent directives to the armed forces and other security agencies to decisively deal with the menace will significantly unravel the brains and rationale behind the criminal acts, pointing out that Nigerians should avoid unnecessary politicisation of such issues such as the politics that prolonged the battle against Boko Haram sect insurgency.

“This is purely a security issue that has no place for politics whatsoever. We must all close ranks, build a national consensus around these challenges and confront them decisively with one mind and one voice, as one people, one nation and one destiny. This is the way big nations that we see today evolved,” CPC appealed to Nigerians.