A northern group, “Arewa Think Tank”, has called on those criticising the Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Barrister Nyesom Wike to halt their ulterior plan to plunge Nigeria into chaos, anarchy and flee to another country.
Some Islamic leaders recently queried the status of the Minister of FCT, saying that the post should have been ceded to a particular faith and region, instead of appointing Wike from the South-south region. Thus, they called for the removal of Wike as FCT Minister because he is a Southerner from a particular faith.
But speaking in a communique issued after an emergency meeting with some northern religious leaders and Islamic clerics in Kaduna on Wednesday, Arewa Think Tank said that those calling for Wike’s removal have obtained citizenship of other countries, hence their mission to plunge Nigeria into anarchy and chaos in order to desert the country.
The communiqué, which was signed by the Convener of Arewa Think Tank, Muhammad Alhaji Yakubu said the meeting for peace and unity was attended by Sheikh Ibrahim Karatu Mando and Ustaz Bello Sani Bida among others. “We condemn in strong terms the unwarranted verbal attacks by some Islamic clerics on the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Barr. Nyesom Ezenwo Wike because any attack on a Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is a direct attack on the entire country and Nigerians.
“Those who attacked Wike want to destroy Nigeria because they have dual citizenship, and so they have a choice of belonging to other countries and leaving Nigeria in crisis and confusion because of their selfish interests. We will not allow some few clerics in collaboration with some foreigners, who want to destroy this country, we will fight them with the last drop of our blood. If they have other country that they can run to, most of us don’t have dual citizenship and we have no other country to run to, we will not accept that. So, they should be prepared to face us.
“We can only have one President at a given time. If some people are not happy with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, they should work towards 2027 general elections and take a stand to vote for the president of their choice.
“The attack on Wike was uncalled for because it has a divisive motive. What is most worrisome is the divisive comment on the security of the nation by these religious who said that it is dangerous to leave national security in the hands of Southerners. This is uncalled for in a democratic republic like Nigeria.”
