Sokoto State Governor, Rt. Hon. Aminu Tambuwal and his Zamfara counterpart, Alhaji Bello Matawalle, have urged leaders in the country to unite and evolve a template to tackle on the nation’s insecurity challenges.
Both Governors made the call on Sunday, February 14, 2021, when they condoled their Delta State counterpart, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa over the death of his father, Pa Arthur Okorie Okowa. at Boji-Boji Owa in Ika North East Local Government Area of Delta State.
Governor Tambuwal who is Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors’ Forum noted that: “Without security there cannot be any development and there cannot be peace and you need peace and security to carry out business transactions and even worship. So, its key and very fundamental for development in any society.
“So my charge is that all of us as leaders must come together irrespective of whatever views we may have in terms of approach to how the insecurity should be resolved.
“We should all be seen to be working together in coming up with a synergy and a template for resolving all of these conflicts,” he said.
He also advised that “the new Service Chiefs should be given a chance to prove their mettle as “they have just resumed and I think they should be given a chance to work.
He further noted that: “They know the issues and they know why all of us and many Nigerians came out to say that the other Service chiefs should give way for new hands to come in and they should listen to the people and do what is required of them by securing Nigerians.”
He commiserated with Governor Okowa on the death of his father, stating that late Pa Arthur Okorie Okowa lived a very fruits life and would be long remembered for raising children that have made their society proud.
Also responding to journalists questions, Governor Matawalle observed that although his state has been notorious for banditry in the North-West, “as a person I couldn’t just fold my hands and watch my people being killed.
“We have been fighting that battle using two approaches, the kinetic and non kinetic and we have recorded some successes.
“We are all together, we are the same as one and we have been preaching peace because we want Nigeria to remain one.
“The security of the nation is not just for us as government but for all of us and we have lots of roles we can play as individuals so that we can be at peace as a nation,” Matawalle said.
Responding, Okowa expressed appreciation to his Sokoto State and Zamfara counterparts for coming to condole with him.
According to him, his late father was his political role model whose death has left his family devastated.
According to him: “Despite the age he passed on, its still a lot of pain to us. In the last two weeks we have received a lot of condolence messages and visits and my siblings and I are truly grateful.
“Upon retirement as a teacher, he went into politics and God used him to guide me when I eventually entered politics years after.
“We missed him a lot but we are further consoled by the love from Nigerians”.