National leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu, has
finally broken his silence on Amotekun, the regional security outfit recently
created by South West governors.
Tinubu in a statement by his spokepersonTunde Rahman, faulted claims made
by some Nigerians that the country will be put in great danger if Amotekun which
was created to confront the insecurity in the South West states, is allowed to
function.
According to him, Amotekun does not pose any threat to National unity.
The statement reads “Those claiming that this limited, inoffensive addition
to security threatens the Republic have taken themselves upon a madcap
excursion. Those claiming that the Federal Government seeks to terribly
suppress the Southwest have also lost their compass. Those who occupy these two
extremes have sunken into the dark recesses of fear and political paranoia that
can undo a nation if such sentiments are allowed to gestate.”
The statement continues
“Amotekun. This issue has dominated recent discourse and media headlines.
Distilled to its basics, it concerns how best state governments can assist with
the safety and security of their residents. This is a matter of serious concern
entitled to sober thought. However, it has been turned into a political
tug-of-war. Fierce, often unthinking rhetoric, for and against, has crossed the
lips of too many Nigerians. More subjective talking than objective thinking has
been the fuel of this outburst.
Question those in favour of Amotekun. Most have but the vaguest notion
about it. They know few details yet vigorously attribute to its opponents the
most negative intentions. Ask those who oppose Amotekun. They are equally
ignorant of its provisions. They oppose the initiative not on its merits but
merely because it was proposed by their political opponents or because they
don’t see an avenue for personal gain from it.
While colourful, the rhetoric has been disconcerting. How people have
mishandled this matter demonstrates that we still have far to go in perfecting
this democracy. Too much energy has been spent distorting this issue instead of
seeking a resolution that supports local enhancement of security while keeping
the constitution intact. If this becomes the standard for how we handle
disagreements then we will obscure Nigeria’s path forward with our own rubbish.
In this matter, I do not see malign intent in the differences of opinion
between the SW Governors as authors of Amotekun and the Attorney-General as the
primary law enforcement officer of the Federal Government. Shorn of the overly
dramatic language, what lies before us is but a step in the evolution of our
federalism. This is an opportunity to more clearly define that federalism; but
one cannot attain this better, more functional definition through overblown,
emotional language. Objectivity and calmness are required. To a significant
degree, the enduring quality of our republic will be established by the
sagacity with which we handle disagreements regarding the division of power
between federal and state governments. Such disagreements are inevitable. This
is not the first. Nor will it be the last. We must devote our energies more
toward solving problems rather than amplifying them.
Seeking to fulfil their mandates by helping protect their people, the
governors of the Southwest collectively established a program to buttress
existing security mechanisms. Seeking to protect the constitution as best he
could, the Attorney-General offered his opinion on what he believed the
governors have sought to do. No one can blame either party for seeking to
fulfil what they genuinely see as their public duty.
Until now, I have deliberately maintained a studied silence regarding
Amotekun. Many have tried to goad my swift public reaction. Those who have
taken this road did so not because they care about Amotekun or even the people
it intends to help protect. They did so knowing this had become a delicate and
emotional issue for many. These cynics did so with the adversarial hope that,
in haste, I might misspeak or misstep in a manner they could twist to their
political advantage.
Such people are possessed of a mercenary aspect that permits them to
sacrifice almost anything, even jeopardize the very foundations of our political
unity, if they might exact personal gain from the upheaval. In that they know
no nobler purpose than their own appetites, we should feel sorry for them.
However, we must not allow our sympathies for their barren condition to
persuade us that there is worth in their destructive misconduct. They must be
left to the consequences of their own devices.
If truly I am a political leader as I am often described, then I have not
the luxury of hasty, ill-conceived utterances. There are those who will use
inflamed words to spark the passions of others. This may bring transient
applause. But when the cheers fade, we shall only have further descended
because their words were never inclined toward resolution and long-term
improvement but toward short-term popularity and perpetual confrontation.
I believe in this nation and its benign prospects. I dearly love its
people, all of them. Over the years of our existence, they have suffered much.
Yet they still hold forth with heroic patience and an extraordinary optimism born
of strong faith. To these people I owe my best. I shall not treat them cheaply
or bandy their emotions like some errant football. The welfare of this good and
decent people is my overriding concern.
Equally, I do not cow to the demands of those who press for me to make a
premature statement on an important issue. Again, that is a game devised by
those who care more about political cleverness than the quality of governance.
I chose to talk when my position has been made ripe by a collection of the facts
and a reasonable assessment of those facts.”