Southern Senators call for renewed commitment to national unity, security

As the citizens celebrate the new year, the Southern Senators Forum has appealed to Nigerians to demonstrate more vigour and a renewed commitment to national unity and sustenance of security across the six geopolitical zones of the country.

The Senators from the three geopolitical zones of the South said Nigerians could only savour the expected economic prosperity and gains when unity is guaranteed and security of lives and property is assured for rapid investment.

This was contained in the Forum’s New year’s message, signed by its Chairman, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele and Secretary, Senator Chukwuka Utazi and made available to newsmen in Ado Ekiti, on Friday.

Congratulating Nigerians for witnessing another new year, the Federal lawmakers, however, regretted that the most troubling evils in the nation today are palpable cases of disunity and insecurity, appealing to the citizens to exhibit more resolve to tackle the twin problems in 2022 for the nation to progress.

The forum said though Nigeria has always had its challenges since pre-independence, the widening disunity and insecurity have not assumed this frightening dimension.

It said the situation calls for concern and concerted efforts for the country to overcome and become stronger.

The Senators appealed to Nigeria to shed all tendencies that could further widen the gulf of disunity among diverse ethnic and religious groups and perceive the present insecurity constituting a forlorn hope to all citizens as a collective battle that must be sustained and won at all cost.

“We congratulate all Nigerians for witnessing another new year. But we have to be circumspect of those evils that are confronting us as a nation. As we enter into the new year, let us do this with renewed commitment to tackle two prominent challenges facing us, which are these rampaging disunity and insecurity.

“With unity of purpose amongst us and reliable security, we can usher in economic progress, tackle unemployment, poverty and overcome every noticeable political crisis and bounce back to continental and global reckoning.

“Nigeria is a great country with great potentials but there was a need for all of us to be more patriotic, see ourselves as one, perceive our diverse backgrounds as a strength and not a mistake for us to assume that height of greatness we are destined for.

“We can’t afford to look on helplessly when disunity begins to trigger unnecessary killings, Kidnappings and throwing up all manners of political and religious crises.

“As we enter into the new year, our resolve must be strong. Our focus must be that Nigeria must rise again. It must overcome its challenges and bring prosperity to all the citizens because improved standard of living and good welfare is what we deserve and not poverty and wanton killings”.