By Emeka Nze Abuja A
commissioner representing Edo state at the Public Complaints Commission (PCC), Felix Alari, has advised leaders at various cadres to control their utterances with a view to checking the spate of agitations and violence in the country. He called for declaration of a one-day national prayer for the speedy recovery of President Muhammadu Buhari, saying that such a prayer for the president would boost his confi dence, morale and aid his quick recovery. Alari, who was fi elding questions from journalists in Abuja yesterday, enjoined political, religious and traditional leaders to speak of things that “will unite the country than those things that will divide it.”
Th e PCC commissioner proposed dialogue, negotiation and peaceful resolution as a panacea to spate of agitations in the country, warning that “violence has not done humanity any good throughout the world history.” “People are not engaged in useful venture, of course you can blame leadership for not doing enough to productively engage the youth, but in all these, the level of agitation is very worrisome.
“All hands must be on deck to ensure that it does not escalate. Stakeholders, political leaders, traditional leaders, religious leadersmust control their utterances. If you must say something, it must be things that unite us rather than the things that divide us. “For those who are fanning the embers of war, it is immature; war is not solution to anything. Let us embrace the path of dialogue, negotiations and peaceful resolution of our diff erences.
Th roughout world history, violence has not done humanity any good.” He commended the federal government for its eff orts so far in curtailing the various agitations especially in the handling of the quit notice given to the Igbo by northern youths. “Nigeria is better as one nation and we should explore the strength in diversity. Nigeria cannot aff ord to divide.” He scored the government of the All Progressive Congress (APC) a pass mark, pointing out that the Buhari administration has done well, while calling on the citizens to be patient with him. On the economy, he said: “Th ey have stabilised the naira and the economy is stable now. Th ings are gradually becoming normal again. If the level of looting as reported and noticed in the last administration were true, we will understand why we are here today.”