The Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi on Sunday identified inequality, poverty and unemployment as the triggers of insecurity nationwide.

He, however, called on governments at all levels to address these challenges to restore order in the country

Fayemi made this recommendation in Ibadan, the Oyo state capital, at a symposium organised by Shina Peller, lawmaker representing Iseyin/Itesiwaju/Kajola/Iwajowa constituency in the House of Representatives.

The symposium organised as parts of activities to mark his 45th anniversary under a theme, National Security and Peace: Role of Government, Citizens and Institutions.

At the symposium, Fayemi noted that the country’s security challenges “are surmountable provided the political leadership can agree to address causes that trigger armed attacks and banditry across the federation.”

Fayemi, Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), called on Nigerian youths to be more active in politics rather than focus their attention on the Twitter revolution.

According to him; “Nigeria is going through challenges that can be overcome if all Nigerians are committed to transforming the country. It is important to be tough on the triggers of crises such as inequality, poverty and unemployment.

“We must all agree that the country at present is facing serious challenges, most importantly security. There is no doubt that we can overcome them as a nation

“All we need to do is for governments to be tough on the causes that trigger crises most especially inequality, poverty and unemployment,” he said.

He urged the youths “to stop being Twitter revolutionaries, rather, they should get themselves involved in politics. It is only when youths get themselves involved in politics that they can be part of the decision making process.

“It is when they are in positions of authority that the youths can make a positive impact in the lives of their people. The best way for youths to contribute positively to their communities is to get themselves involved in politics.

Our youths should not just be Twitter revolutionaries. They have to get themselves in politics, so that they can contribute positively to their societies.

“Youths should stand up and talk, they should join politics. They should join politics to be involved in decision making,” the governor of Ekiti State said.

The keynote lecturer, Prof. Olawale Albert called for devolution of power in order to have effective and efficient security apparatus to manage the myriad of security challenges facing the country.

Albert, a professor of Peace and Conflict Studies at the University of Ibadan, observed that Nigeria is in a war with itself and that part of the solution is to operate with justice, equity and fairness to all.

The professor urged Nigerian leaders “to accept the situation of the country and ensure a change instead of denying the tribulations the country is facing.”

He noted that there should be constitutional roles for traditional rulers to be involved in decision making, saying there should be devolution of power.

Power, he said, must be given to local governments and traditional rulers.

The wife of the celebrant and Executive Director, Lead Generation Initiative, Mrs. Ayobola Peller, expressed worry over the state of insecurity in Nigeria.

He stated that the Lead Generation Initiative “is committed to pursuing the implementation of the recommendations of the symposium through advocacy and stakeholders engagement after the event.”

The celebrant, Peller said said this year’s birthday celebration had been a reflection of what life has to be.

He further stated that , considering the case of insecurity that is ravaging the country, the Lead Generation decided to mark my 45th birthday with a public roundtable for sustainable solutions to myriads of security challenges facing Nigeria.

“I believe we will all die one day. But if I die, what will I be remembered for? With what Lead Generation is doing, I see a reason we have to build a platform that can imbibe the kind of culture we should have as Nigerians”.

Present at the event include former Governor of Oyo State, Otunba Adebayo Alao-Akala, former Governor of Ogun State, Senator Ibikunke Amosun, former ministers; Senator Musiliu Obanikoro and Alhaji Adebayo Shittu and Mrs. Florence Ajimobi, among others.

Others are former Senate Leader, Senator Teslim Folarin, members of the House of Representatives, Hon. Olaide Akinremi, Hon. Akin Alabi, Hon. Akeem Adeyemi and a former member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Saheed Akinade-Fijabi.

Traditional rulers present include the Olubadan of Ibadan land, Oba Saliu Adetunji and the Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdulraseed Akanbi, among other dignitaries.

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has replied to persons opposing to the recent decisions of Southern governors on open grazing and other issues saying the governors’ demands are irrevocable.

Wike, insisted that their demands must be respected while reminding critics no section of the country is inferior to others.

He made this known during a grand reception held in his honour by Ogoni nationality in Bori, Khana Local Government Area on Saturday.

The governor declared that he had taken further steps to fulfill the resolutions reached by Southern Governors in Asaba.

According to him; “We have taken a position and no going back. Enough is enough. We are not second class citizens of this country. We also own this country.”

Wike charged the Hydrocarbon Pollution Remediation Project (HYPREP) saddled with the responsibility of the cleanup of polluted sites in Ogoni, to relocate its operational office from Port Harcourt to Bori, the headquarters of the Ogoni people.

He further stated that, “You cannot talk of cleaning up a place and keep your office in another area. Bring your office from Port Harcourt and come and stay in Bori, So that you can hear and appreciate the feelings of the people.”

Wike recalled that when he launched his quest to govern Rivers State in 2014, he received tremendous support from Ogoni nationality.

He said in appreciation, his administration had graciously fulfilled the promise to dualise the Saakpenwa-Bori-Kono Road and had gone further to award contract for the phase two of the project from Bori to Kono valued at N14bn.

The governor acknowledged that the people of Ogoni nationality had remained steadfast in their support of his administration.

The governor directed the Commissioner of Power and in-coming Chairman of Khana Local Government Area to ensure the electrification of all communities in the council yet to be connected to the national grid within the next five months.

He charged the incoming chairmen Khana, Gokana, Tai and Eleme to endeavour to initiate and implement projects that would enhance the wellbeing of their people.

Wike noted that Ogoni was an important part of the state and Nigeria, and urged their leaders to fight against the menace of cultism and other related acts of criminality.

The Rivers State governor, who was conferred with the title, the Mene Kwalenu 1st of Ogoni, (a benevolent king) by the President of Supreme Council of Ogoni Traditional Rulers, His Royal Majesty, King G.N.K Giniwa, assured that his administration would continue to ensure even development of every part of the state.

In his remarks, the President of Kagote, Emmanuel Deeyah, said the reception was organised in honour of the governor because Ogoni people were beneficiaries of the unprecedented infrastructural developments witnessed in the state since he assumed office.

He said: “In this light, we respectfully place on record our gratitude for the various appointments and elective offices that came to our sons and daughters through your singular effort.

One of the aggrieved leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party in Oyo State, Alhaji Adebisi Olopoeyan, has urged the National Vice Chairman of the PDP, Ambassador Taofeek Arapaja, to reconcile with a former Ekiti State governor, Ayo Fayose, and a former South-West PDP chairman, Dr Eddy Olafeso.

Olopoeyan, who together with Fayose supported Olafeso against Arapaja at a recent congress held in Osogbo, spoke at his residence in Ibadan on Saturday when the PDP vice chairman visited him.

The visit came 48 hours after Olafeso visited Olopoeyan at his residence to celebrate Eid el-Fitr with him.

Olopoeyan urged Arapaja to reconcile with Fayose and Olafeso, and other aggrieved chieftains, to make the party stronger.

According to him , “Your coming here to my home is personal. We have a very good political relationship, and to date, nobody, Seyi Makinde (Oyo State Governor) included, can disrupt our relationship. My not supporting you for the South-West PDP chairmanship was that you came into the field late and you also failed to seek my support.

“Chief Olafeso sought my support with everything and I gave him my support wholeheartedly without regrets. On the rift between Seyi Makinde and me, only the governor and I could sit together and resolve it.

“I was the one who convinced Makinde to return to the PDP. I was the facilitator of how PDP leaders accepted his governorship ambition. Therefore, only the governor and I can sit together and resolve the issue Makinde intentionally created.

“Most annoying is the local government election that should have been the fulcrum on which the settlement with the aggrieved leaders is placed. How I wish you, Arapaja, could prevail on Mr Governor to postpone the local government election for the governor to meet first with many of the aggrieved leaders.”

Arapaja promised to take action on the issues raised by Olopoeyan.

He said, “We all shouldn’t allow them to use us against ourselves. We shouldn’t for any reason give room for the lapses that happened in 2011 to repeat themselves because, in the end, we would be at the receiving end.

“It’s pertinent for all hands to be on deck. This party belongs to us all. We can’t afford to lose this state again, and apart from that, we all need to work together to achieve greatness for the region. We need to get back to having more states in the zone.”

The Former military President, Gen. Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida ( IBB) has expressed concern over the state of insecurity in Nigeria.

He, however, said he advised government on the matter but does not making noise about it.

IBB said it is imperative for the citizens to support government and our soldiers, in order to bring an end to the crisis.

According to the former President who called on the government to equip the soldiers with modern weapons and the necessary training spoke in an interview with the BBC Hausa Service monitored on Sunday.

While commenting on insecurity, he said it has become necessary for citizens and government to synergize and work together.

On whether our politicians are playing the desired role in bringing an end to insecurity, he said there are many things they’ve to put right..” if they agree to sit down and think over, I believe success will be achieved,” he said.

When asked further on such things to put right, he said it is important to rally round the soldiers and other security agents, support them and let them know the citizens are behind them.

He said; “Provide them with all they require and let them know this is their country, they’ve no other better than this.”

Asked if he believes the Nigerian soldiers need modern weapons, he said yes, they do.

“They also need to be trained on how to use the modern weapons, not to get weapons and just hand over to them. They should be trained.”

On whether he has ever advised the Federal Government on ways to end insecurity, which has now crept into his state of origin ( Niger), he said, ” we give advice, as we can..but we don’t make noise about it. We don’t announce that this is what we say.”

“We should unite, we should support those in power, we are all working towards achieving the same goal. Between the leaders and citizens, we need peace and a harmonious relationship.”

” This problem of insecurity, every government had its experience… but if we unite..I remember how we fought the civil war for 3 years, the people supported the government, the government did its best, bought what was necessary, those who fought were made to understand that this country is the best for them.”

“It’s not only in Nigeria, many countries encountered this kind of problem, some had it for ten years but through concerted effort, they are out of it. I believe we can get out of this problem.”

Both citizens and those governing are trying, but we should know that it is not an easy task,” he said.

The Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, has said that q the hitch-free conduct of the recent Ijaw National Congress (INC) election through electronic voting indicated that Nigeria can hold rancour-free national elections by adopting such measures.

Diri who stated this during the inauguration of the new INC leadership at the Ijaw House in Yenagoa, urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to adopt electronic voting to avoid conflicts during elections.

He said that the failure of the country’s electoral body to adopt e-voting has led to politicisation of revered state institutions and disrespect to such institutions.

The governor also explained that the adoption of e-voting would provide an opportunity for Nigerians in the Diaspora to choose their leaders through the ballot.

According to him; “I am an advocate and supporter of electronic voting system. Many Nigerians have been denied the right to vote because they are not in Nigeria and cannot participate in choosing their leaders.

“It is a challenge to Nigeria. Let the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) be challenged. If the Ijaws can do it, the Federal Government can also do it.

“If Ijaws can enfranchise Ijaws in Europe and America to be part of deciding who leads them, INEC can equally do it. It will check violence, criminality and state institutions being politicised,” he said.

In his inaugural address, the new INC President, Prof. Benjamin Okaba, assured that the body would work for the progress of the Ijaw people.

Okaba noted that the INC fully supported the recent pronouncement by governors of southern Nigeria prohibiting open grazing in the region, saying the organisation would provide the necessary support to ensure adherence to laws aimed at protecting the people and their land against invasion from external forces.

He stated that INC would collaborate with other ethnic minorities that share the same experiences with the Ijaws to achieve their dreams, said the ethnic group was aware of surreptitious moves by some groups to annex territories in the Niger Delta because of its resources, but that no part of Ijaw would be ceded or conquered.

The Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike said that some of the gunmen responsible for the ambushes and murders of security personnel in Rivers state have been arrested and will face the full wrath of the law.

Wike made this known in a state broadcast on Saturday evening, saying, the state government had undertaken measures to check the recent attacks on security checkpoints and the killing of some security personnel and it’s yielding positive result.

According to him; “Thank heavens, those responsible for the premeditated ambushes and murders of security personnel in the State have been apprehended and are now facing the bitter venom of our laws as none that is proven to be criminally liable will escape the fury and crushing impact of justice.

“We wish to reassure every citizen and resident that we are able, willing and ready to act directly and decisively, and at any time, with the full weight of our government to forestall every security threat to our State from any person, group or quarters.”