Group cautions Kwankwaso against inciteful statements aiding disunity

The Center for Social and Economic Rights (CSER) has cautioned the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) leader, Rabiu Kwankwaso, to refrain from making inciteful statements that could divide the citizens along ethnic lines and concentrate on promoting national cohesion.

This call came weeks after Kwankwaso, during a convocation ceremony of the Skyline University in Kano, alleged that Lagos State is meddling in Kano’s affair while claiming that the government was conniving with President Bola Tinubu to hijack the northern state’s tax.

In a statement released by the group’s Executive Director Nelson Ekujumi, on Wednesday, the organization expressed concern over Kwankwaso’s comments, describing it as “divisive” and “capable of inciting violence.”

Addressing the allegation against President Tinubu, giving preference to Lagos over the rest of the states, Ekujumi noted that Lagos has maintained its position as the number one in economic, trade, industry, and security, with empirical data to support its status before the inception of the current president.

Ekujumi, who described the NNPP leader’s assertion as “sheer mischief and ignorance” added that Kwankwaso has lost focus on the need to remain patriotic and committed to acknowledging the great feats achieved by the Lagos State Government and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

He urged Kwankwaso and other political leaders to prioritize national unity and avoid making statements that could incite violence or undermine the country’s cohesion.

According to the statement, “It appears as an absurd, comical, and pedestrian attribution to the National Leader of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso. It alleged undue interference in the internal affairs of Kano State by Lagos, claiming connivance with the Federal Government to hijack Kano’s taxes and appoint its Emir”

” How can anyone imagine that an elder statesman like Alhaji Kwankwaso would claim that Lagos State is attempting to dominate other regions in the country, particularly Kano, because of the support it allegedly received from the central government?”

“Even at the time the now opposition party ruled Nigeria, Lagos maintained its position as the Numero Uno in economy, trade, industry, and security, with empirical data to support its status. In fact, the upward spiral of Lagos in the League of Nigeria’s States was enhanced when President Bola Ahmed Tinubu was at the helm of affairs in the Centre of Excellence”

“Lagos has no business with discrimination, marginalization, or disdain for any Nigerian citizen. Successive administrations have always accommodated all tribes and tongues due to the cosmopolitan nature of the State. That is why Lagos is home to all Nigerians, despite the huge migration and pressure on infrastructure in the face of limited resources” 

“Dr. Kwankwaso has built a reputation in politics to make him resist charlatans and hypocrites from making him lose focus of the need to remain patriotic and committed to acknowledging the great feats achieved by the Lagos State Government and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. (GCFR)”