Nigeria’s Unity Not Negotiable, Says President-elect Tinubu

The President-elect, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has declared that he remains committed to a united Nigeria, saying that the country’s unity was not negotiable.

Tinubu made the declaration on Thursday in Port Harcourt while inaugurating the Rivers State Magistrate Court complex, constructed by the Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike-led administration.

The President-elect said: “I promise Nigerians, the unity of this country is not negotiable. That is what Wike and I are promoting jointly. I promise I will be fair to all.”

He lauded Wike for fighting corruption through the provision of conducive working environment for the Judiciary.

Tinubu added: “To what Wike has done here today, he is fighting corruption. That is the way to fight corruption. He has been contributing very well to this.

“You don’t expect your judges to live in squalor, to operate in squalor, to dispense justice in squalor. This is part of the changes that is necessary in our policy think-tank. We must fight corruption and we definitely must look at the other side of the coin.

“If you don’t want your judges to be corrupt, you have to pay attention to their welfare. If you want fair dispensation of justice, you will not want them to operate in a hazardous condition. Let’s take value for value.

“If I don’t have consumer credit and you want me to pay for a car that I need at once, N5million or N6million, very big temptation, corruption.

“But, if you have consumer credit, that will deal with the propensity for corruption. We don’t want our judges to play foul, to compromise justice. Not just the books, but do something now. I promise you we are going to review all of these in our policy think-tank.”

He stated that his visit to Rivers State was in fulfilment of the promise he made to the people of the state when he came for campaign in the state ahead of the February 25, 2023 presidential election.

The President-elect said: “Today, I am concluding a two-day and final leg of a visit to Rivers State. I was proud to deliver the 12th historic and iconic flyover yesterday. Whatever you say about owing or not owing, I am personally grateful to the man who brought me here.

“He didn’t ask for a personal commitment, he asked for a policy commitment, which an incoming President has not authority to offer and approve.  There can only be one President at a time.

“I cannot commit to expenditure on behalf of our great President when my tenure has not started. I have fulfilled a promise that I made to the people of Rivers State and that is what I intend to do in all policy formations coming up.”

Earlier in his speech, Governor Nyesom Ezenwo Wike thanked Tinubu for fulfilling his promise to visit Rivers State after victory at the poll.

Wike said: “Let me on behalf of the government and people of Rivers State thank you once more for coming to honour us by fulfilling the promise you made to the people of the state when you came for your campaign. Just yesterday, you commissioned the 12th flyover.

“We want to say again, congratulations on your victory in the last presidential election on February 25, 2023. Your Excellency, this is another promised made and promise kept. I thank God almighty that today, God has made it possible that the dream was accomplished.”