New Telegraph

The South has businesses to lose in the North –Gov Matawalle

Matawelle)

…says, enough of the attacks on northerners
Why we must all condemn the sponsored attempt to rubbish President Buhari in London

Zamfara State Governor Bello Mohammed Matawalle has warned against further attacks on northerners living in the southern part of the country, adding that the current situation in the country has made it imperative for him as a political leader and a proud northerner to speak out to prevent the situation of anarchy some disgruntled, unpatriotic Nigerians want to drag the nation into. In a statement by the governor, made available to New Telegraph, Matawalle insisted that considering the manner politics is played in Nigeria without conscience: “I chose to speak out my mind as a bona fide member of the opposition PDP for the sake of our nation, for peace to reign and in the overall interest of the North.

“So much is happening to the North and northerners. Today, their lives, dignity and possessions are being threatened by the unfriendly South even as we try as northern leaders to always calm the situation and to protect the interest, businesses and dignity of all southerners living in the north. “Despite what northerners are experiencing today in many parts of the South West and South East in particular, all we hear is the conspiracy of silence from northern leaders. That must not continue.

“As northern leaders, our dignified silence in the face of constant provocation and attacks, because of our desire for peace, must not be taken as a sign of weakness as no community or region has the monopoly of violence. If northerners and their means of livelihood will not be protected, accommodated and be dignified anywhere they chose to stay in any part of the South, southerners should not expect such reciprocal protection from the North as the North has more than what it takes to respond to any kind of aggression and hatred. “We have seen the destruction, the killings and the devastation recently at Shasha Market against northerners and their economic interests. Properties worth billions of naira were lost in addition to human lives, yet some leaders in the South West are downplaying the atrocities committed or at best justifying it.

“Some of them have shamefully gone to the extent of apportioning blames on the victims and casualties of their aggression. Last Sunday’s killings of in nocent northerners in Imo State is one too many and no matter how we love peace, leaders with conscience and fear of God must speak out against this continued barbarism and hatred.

“If that is allowed to continue, we will not take that any longer as no human life is better than another. No business interest is better than another. In fact, in crisis situation, the South has more to lose in terms of its business interests in the North and the strategic nature they established themselves in the North than northerners living in the South.

“The North is very much aware of such weaknesses and disadvantages the South is exposed to whenever there is such crisis, but we always chose the path of peace and cherish peace beyond any act of lawlessness and hatred,” Matawalle stressed. According to him, simple statistics on instances of unprovoked attacks against northerners and their economic interests in the South in recent times can tell who is more tolerant, accommodating and peaceful between criminal elements and their backers that are well known in sponsoring such hatred and attacks against north-inerners in the South.

“Sadly, we all can identify the thugs, the instigators of such xenophobic attacks. They are very much known and visible in spreading their messages of hatred, incitement and provocation but, unfortunately, they and their leaders have continued to blackmail the Federal Government while government seems to be succumbing to such acts of blackmail, allowing them to live like kings and even bluntly refusing legitimate invitation by the Police, Nigeria is one.

“Whoever doesn’t want to believe in the current constitution, which is so far the legal and legitimate instrument behind our existence, should pack and leave the country as we will not tolerate any form of intimidation any longer. “Even though I am a PDP governor serving my first term in office, I don’t believe seeking for position of authority or seeking to retain it is a do-or-die affair or something that will silence us to ignore reality and not to stand by our people in the face of constant provocation and attacks. “As a Northerner, I condemn in strongest terms how in the same manner of hatred President Muhammadu Buhari was treated by so called protesters that could not hide their disdain and hatred for the North<‘ Matawalle said.

Read Previous

Kissing boosts immune system, wellness

Read Next

Revealed: Nigeria, 44 others get below 2% of COVID-19 vaccines in 5 weeks

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *