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By Anthony Maliki
A Non-Governmental Organisation, One Nigeria Group (ONG), has called on Nigerians to eschew ethnic and religious sentiments and vote for a patriotic Nigerian for president during the 2023 general elections.
The President of the group, Alhaji Muhammad Saleh-Hassan, made the appeal in a statement in Abuja on Friday.
Saleh-Hassan urged Nigerians to vote for a president, who should be a “pan-Nigerian” president, irrespective of which part of the country he or she comes from.
He urged patriotic Nigerians to get their permanent voter’s cards ready, ahead of the 2023 General Elections, so as to vote for a patriotic, pan-Nigerian president from any zone of the country.
“I, therefore, call on all Nigerians, as the 2023 Elections is around the corner, as patriotic Nigerians, go, get your PVCs and vote for a pan-Nigerian president from any zone in the country.
“It is important to note that ethnic and religious sentiments are faster killers of our country than corruption.
“Today, ethnic sentiments have given birth to IPOB, Boko Haram, bandits and other criminal elements across the country.
“In the South-South in particular, these elements engage in economic sabotage, thereby, stealing millions of barrels of crude oil,” he said.
The group’s president, called on all patriotic Nigerians to join forces with the organisation and rise above hate, ethnic and religious sentiments, adding that Nigeria’s strength is in its diversity.
“Let’s all rise in unity against the criminal elements and enemies of Nigeria, who are trying to cripple our economy, divide us and set our country ablaze.
“Elections will come in peace without pre or post-election violence and the enemies of our country will bury their heads in shame.
“We should learn from the Ukrainian crisis and begin to love our country, defend our country with all our might as we have always pledged,” he said.
Saleh-Hassan noted that, over the years, ethnic and religious sentiments and attendant criminality had only culminated in pain and misery upon the country and its citizens.
“These have brought nothing to this country but pains and all manner of evil that has produced widows, orphans and out-of-school children.
“We have no other country than Nigeria, we must also remember that no country in the entire world will be able to contain 200 million refugees who may seek shelter if the unexpected happens,” he warned.
The group also condemned all banditry attacks in the country, and called on security agencies to continue to do their best to bring all criminals and separatists to book.
The statement also quoted Sunday Attah, the group’s project coordinator as calling on Nigerian artists and musicians to condemn the activities of kidnapping, Boko Haram through their music and work.
“They must rise and speak against every activity that would give the country a bad name,” the statement added.
