As the Federal Government and Islamic fundamentalist -Boko Haram settle for a peace talk, frontline elder statesman and pioneer, National Chairman of the ruling People’s Democratic party (PDP), Chief Solomon Lar has affirmed that the proposed dialogue would hit the rocks if the sect members don’t unmask themselves.
This came following last Thursday’s call by the Boko Haram foot soldiers that they were ready to dialogue with the Nigerian government.
It would be recalled that the sect has proposed Saudi Arabia as venue for the peace talk just as it named General Muhammadu Buhari and other prominent Northerners as mediators. But Lar insisted that the Federal Government should not welcome the dialogue until the sect emulates the Niger Delta militants by coming out to show their faces and tell Nigerians why they are angry.
The ace politician at the weekend in Kaduna described the killing of retired General Shuwa as sad and shocking.
He noted that it is so heartless to murder a man who fought the civil war to keep the country one, stressing that the acclaimed representatives of the Boko Haram should be patriotic enough to disown the sect if they had no link with the suicide bombers.
“I disagree completely that there should be dialogue with Boko Haram, unless they show their identity that Mr, XYZ is the Boko Haram. For them to name some people that they want them to be their representatives, who are these people? They are faceless people, let them come out and say we are the Boko Haram.
Then, we will definitely do the dialogue. Even General Muhammadu Buhari, Ali Moguno they mentioned as their representatives have not agreed with them. If their representatives have agreed with them, let them come out for dialogue. In the Niger Delta, when we had militant crisis, some people came out and said they were the leaders of the militants. That was very reasonable, and the last President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, dealt with these people. Why wouldn’t Boko Haram follow the same example, the same way
. “The killing of retired Major-General Mohammed Shuwa is an unfortunate incident. I read in the newspapers that one of Nigerians who fought very seriously to keep the country one during the civil war was shot by gunmen. I am really disturbed. He was one of Nigeria’s unsung heroes. He was a hero, but nobody talked about him. Government after government never did anything to bring him up and recognize his past performance. I believe this is one of the most unfortunate incidents. General Shuwa is still an unsung hero. Nobody sings his heroism.
That is why I called him unsung hero. It is unfortunate. The authorities should do everything possible to find out those responsible. The Government of President Goodluck Jonathan is doing its best and the securities under him are doing their very best, and I am sure the question of Boko Haram is a matter of days to get them out.
“I don’t agree that the Federal Government has lost control of the situation, the Government is in absolute control of the situation, and that is why you are meeting with me here in Kaduna. If the Federal Government has lost control, it means Nigeria is a failing State, and Nigeria will never be a failing State.
Asked if he’s going to run for 2015 presidential elections, Chief Lar said in democracy, anything could happen.
“The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is doing well, but we should do more and see that we live in peace. I call on all Nigerians, let them be patriotic, let them sing Nigeria, and once we do this, there will be no problem, “There is hope for PDP in 2015, but 2015 is a long way to go. Don’t take Nigerians for granted. This is what I always tell people that we are in democracy.
I, Solomon Lar strongly believe in democracy, I am always for democracy. People will decide, Nigerians will decide, it doesn’t mean that PDP will be there forever. When Nigerians decide that they should change another one for the better, they can do so. But PDP is doing everything wonderfully well, and the National Chairman of the party, Dr Bamanga Tukur is doing extremely well, and I think Nigerians are reasonable people, and they will appreciate him,” he said
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