01/02/2014
Bayelsa State Governor, Henry Seriake Dickson, has cautioned Nigerians not to allow themselves to be used to further fan the embers of discord and disaffection in the country under the cover of religion and ethnicity.
Governor Dickson handed down this warning when a group, known as Initiative for Rapid Development for Nigeria (IRDN) paid him a courtesy visit at the Bayelsa House in Abuja.
Represented by the Chief of Staff, Bayelsa House, Abuja, Chief Diekivie Ikiogha, the Governor stated that religion is a personal matter, and need not be used as a divisive tool to disorganise the country in any form.
According to him, God knows why the diverse ethnic and religious groups in the country were brought together by the British colonialists through Lord Lugard in 1914, adding that what is important now is for Nigerians to take advantage of the forthcoming National Dialogue to strengthen the unity of the country.
He also used the occasion to urge Nigerians to pray to God to intervene in the problems of the nation so as to reinstate lasting peace, love and unity among the people.
He opined that the clamour for change of leadership by some politicians is not the solution to the country’s problems, pointing out that the emerging new economies of the world such as the United Arab Emirate, Singapore and Malaysia did not develop through change of leadership.
Governor Dickson stated that President Jonathan has performed well in less than two and a half years, and expressed optimism that with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) getting stronger than any other party in the country, Nigerians need to sustain their support for the party and President Goodluck Jonathan, to enable him complete his people-oriented programmes as well as embark on new ones that would transform the standard of living of the citizenry.
Earlier, coordinator of the Initiative for Rapid Development in Nigeria (IRDN), Mr. Talban Kaura described Bayelsa State, where Dr. Jonathan emerged from to be President as a bridge of unity amongst ethnic groups in the country and called on all parts of the country to shun religious and ethnic rivalries and live together in love and unity.
He said the group visited the Bayelsa State Governor to convey their message calling on President Goodluck Jonathan to declare his ambition for the 2015 Presidential election, assuring that they will throw their weight from the North in his support.
The group backed its stance with the point that President Jonathan is a detribalised leader who has carried every part of the country along in his development programmes, stating that with a fresh mandate, the country will be better under his leadership.
Made up of members from Kano, Kaduna, Kebbi, Kogi, Katsina, Bauchi, Borno, Benue, Niger, Jigawa, Adamawa, Taraba, Gombe, Yobe and Plateau States, the group re-stated their total support for Jonathan’s Transformation administration.
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