Don’t Heat up Polity with Inciting Statements, Mumuni Warns

Kemi Olaitan in Ibadan

A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Ambassador Nureini Abayomi Mumuni, has cautioned leaders and elder statesmen against making inflammatory statements capable of inciting the people as the Federal Government makes efforts to solve the economic and security challenges facing the country.

Mumuni in a release by his Media Aide, Rasheed Abubakar, noted that leaders were expected to inspire their people with courage and hope.

He said, “Unfortunately, what we have seen in recent times is that key figures and elder statesmen in the country throw caution to the winds to make statements capable of inciting the people. If this country should burn down, we have no other place to call our own.”

Mumuni acknowledged that there wsre economic and security challenges in the country, noting that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is also aware and making spirited efforts to address them.

“In as much as I understand the plights and frustrations of our citizens on economic and security challenges bedevilling the country, our elder statesmen must be careful not to utter statements that can be misread by some people as a motivation to cause anarchy and unrest. We will all come out of these difficult times. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, as we can all see, is making frantic efforts to solve the challenges. Our thought leaders and elders should be torchbearers of hope, courage and resilience. They should advise and work with the government on measures to tackle the challenges”, he said.

Mumuni, a former gubernatorial candidate of the defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) in Lagos State, said the security situation of the country is improving, charging the various security agencies to maintain their offensive against criminals and terrorists.

“We have seen how the strategies on security have improved recently. It shows responsibility on the part of the government. We have witnessed a clampdown on bandit leaders, kidnapping kingpins, terrorists and other criminal gangs. Our security agencies should maintain this energy and prevent criminals from having a foothold in our communities.

“I believe things would ultimately shape up, even on economy. More policies and measures are now being considered by the federal government to tackle the situation. On security, Mr. President has approved increasing the numerical strength of forest rangers and training them so that they can keep forests and borders safe. He has also finally agreed to work with various organs of government to bring state police.

“On the economy, the federal government has also met with various stakeholders to arrest the increasing prices of goods and services. The meeting with cement producers in the country ended with great resolutions. The government is also taking the battle to fifth columnists who are trying hard to sabotage its reform efforts. The withheld salaries of ASUU have been paid and the President has directed the civil service to treat issues of workers’ welfare with dispatch. We should expect more policies and directives that will bring relief to the people.”

In the meantime, Mumuni has charged the people to also hold their state governors to account, noting that they are closer to them.

“The monthly FAAC allocation to states has increased dramatically. The people should hold their state governors to account for what they are doing with the funds. The state government is closer to the people than the federal government and their interventions will go a long way to bring relief to the people in these difficult times.

“It is surprising that while some state governors have risen up to the occasion, majority of them have been docile. The people should ask questions from the governors too,” Mumuni stated.