3rd April, 2015
The Borno Elders Forum on Thursday advised President-elect, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, to strive towards eradicating all sources of insurgency and insecurity in the country immediately after assuming office.
Alhaji Gaji Galtumari, the Chairman of the forum, gave the advice in a statement in Maiduguri.
“The Borno Elders Forum wishes to sincerely extend hearty congratulations to our President-elect and Vice-President elecover their cherished and well deserved victory in the just concluded presidential poll.
“We see this as a victory for democracy, peace and harmony throughout the country and beyond. It is a victory for the black race and the masses in general”
The statement said the congratulatory message needed to be accompanied by a few words of advice to the in-coming President.
“Over the past few years, Nigerians have been terribly afflicted by insurgency and high level terrorism.
“For us in Borno and indeed the North East, it is not an exaggeration to say that we have been taken back several years in terms of all indices of human development. Although, we believe it was our destiny.
“We therefore urge Mr President to promptly eradicate all forms of insurgency and violence across the country.
“This should be the starting point. Nothing works without peace. We recently had cause to plead with the nation to come up with a Marshall Plan for the North East, starting first by setting up a high level Presidential Assessment Committee to take stock of the level of devastation.
We need to be quickly rescued, rehabilitated, reconstructed, resettled and re-established,”
“Over the few years under reference, Nigeria has been terribly polarised on sectional, religious and tribal lines.
“We thank the Almighty Allah that Nigerians remained resolute in their desire for one indivisible, indissoluble and indestructible nation.
Indeed, the spirit of Nigeria as brothers’ keepers persisted at the level of the masses of our people.
“Now, Mr President-elect needs to cash in on this spirit of Nigerianness demonstrated by the masses throughout the nation.
It had come to Nigerians constantly relocating to their states of origins each time there are issues like elections, census, and so on.
“Nigerians lived in the fear of the unknown even when they desired to live together in peace and harmony.”
The statement called on Buhari to quickly address the diversification of sources of revenue generation in the country.
It added that the country needed to pay attention to agriculture and solid minerals development.
“We equally need to accelerate the exploration and exploitation of petroleum deposits, particularly in the Chad Basin and the Benue Trough and other places.”
It also called for taking away from the streets the millions of unemployed youths.
“Jobs need to be created on daily basis and young people should be encouraged to take them up.
“All school age children must be compelled to go to school. Massive investment in education and vocational training is a priority.”
It added that Buhari needs a `great’ cabinet to achieve most of the promises made to Nigerians.
“We know Buhari to be a straight-forward, simple, honest, incorruptible and just leader.
“He has been our Governor in the then North East and also been a Head of State.
“From his antecedents, we have no doubt about his ability and resolve to deliver effectively.
“Yet, he needs a cabinet of like minds, men and women who would think, dream, work and display transparency like Buhari.”