The Forum of Former Governors (FFG) has called on the 36 State governors in the country to be united and speak with one voice over the prevailing crisis associated with currency swap policy of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) even as the former governors sued for peace and unity among Nigerians.
The Forum noted that the current Naira crisis and other challenges like insecurity, will pass away as they were just a phase in the nation’s life.
In a statement jointly signed by the Patron and Chairman of the Forum of Former Governors, former Governor Lucky Igbinedion of Edo State, and former Governor Babangida Aliyu of Niger Stat, respectively, on Thursday, the former governors also called on the political elite and other relevant stakeholders to unite and preach peace for the continued corporate existence of Nigeria.
“The past few months has been a trying time for our nation, our country has been witnessing actions and inactions that calls to question the unity, peace and progress of our country.
Challenges associated with Naira swap and scarcity crisis, insecurity, have frayed nerves and stretched the fragile nature of our country. The Forum of Former Governors call for peace and earnestly believe that it is a phase that will pass.
“We call on the Nigeria political elite to come out in unison, to promote and lift the banner of peace. The National and the sub national forces and political elite must unite for the survival of our nation. The discordant tones must give way to tones of harmony, of peace , tranquility and hope for the Nigeria people.
“We call on the Governors in particular, to put aside political differences and speak in unison for the peace and tranquility of our country.
“The geopolitical and historical implications of an unstable Nigeria is enormous; and has far-reaching implication for the black race.
“As the Forum, has always maintained and promoted, our country has the largest concentration of blacks in the world, with diversity, that should ordinarily give pride to inter group relations and reference for conflict resolutions, in the Committee of Nations. Not only that, our population gives an economic potential unrivalled anywhere in Africa. We cannot afford to fail.
“We call on all state actors, saddled with responsibility of maintaining and sustaining peace to rise up to responsibility.
“As the countdown to the elections start, we call on the the political parties to promote and encourage their members, to imbibe the fundamentals of politics without bitterness, encourage internal cohesion and stability. Attitudes and dispositions that fuel divisions and ethnocentric tendencies in the polity must be discouraged.
“In spite of all the challenges, the survival of our nation, should be at the back of the mind of all our leaders and political differences must be put aside, for peace and prosperity that our nation deserve to reign,” they stated.
