Masari: Nigeria’s Unity is Sacrosanct

By Francis Sardauna

The Katsina State Governor, Alhaji Aminu Bello Masari, has cautioned those calling for the division of the country to have a rethink, saying the unity of Nigeria is sacrosanct.

Governor Masari described the agitators as senseless people whose agitations are not healthy for the development of the country.

He stressed that it is better to insist on the need to restructure the country in all its ramifications instead of disintegration clamours by those he termed division agitators.

Masari, who spoke at a press conference Friday night to mark this year’s Democracy Day, admonished those calling for the division of the country to jettison such ideas and join hands with other Nigerians to move the country forward.

He said: “Well, those calling for the division of Nigeria from other parts of the country have no sense, because if they have sense there are people in this country more than any other person. There is no village in Nigeria that you don’t find them.

“But I don’t think a sensible leader from that part of the country that knows what he is doing will call for the division of the country. If the country is divided where will you go? You don’t have a country to go.”

He called on both religious and political leaders irrespective of ethnic, religious and tribal affiliations to come together, set aside every selfish interests and primordial sentiments for the unity of the country.

Masari, however, noted that the devolution of power would avert the duplication of federal, state and local governments’ efforts in terms of infrastructural development and enhance centralisation of activities in all tiers of government.

According to him, “We need to make government, especially at the local government and state levels more functional, and this can only be done through proper allocation of resources and responsibilities.”

He said if the country is devolved realistically, governors would be “the chief security officers” of their respective states as was done under the First Republic in order to pave the way for them to provide adequate security to the citizenry, which he said, is in dire need in the country.

The governor added that only fairness and equity, as well as responsible and good leadership could make Nigeria remain as one indivisible entity, saying: “Unless we start to see ourselves as one body and that can only be achieved where there is devolution.”