Nigerians must reject tribal sentiments at the polls, says Atiku

Presidential hopeful and ranking member of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku, has described tribalism as the greatest stumbling block to Nigeria’s progress, likening it to a “malignant disease” that must be rejected by all citizens.

In a statement released by his media consultant, Kola Johnson, Atiku stressed that while ordinary Nigerians bear the brunt of tribal divisions, the elites remain the biggest culprits. He accused them of exploiting ethnicity as a divisive tool, deliberately pitting one tribe against another rather than fostering a united and indivisible nation.

According to him, the end-point of this divisive antics is geared towards achieving their political ambition by asking their fellow tribes men not to vote for a particular political contestant ‘for being so unfortunate to have hailed from another tribe’ rather than assess him by his sterling qualities.

“Your exclusive point of focus must necessarily bother on the competence of the person based on his antecedents amongst his numerous qualities rather than what tribe or ethnic group he hailed from.

“In this coming election, I beseech you all as my esteemed fellow compatriots to vote according to your conscience and never ever allow anyone to subject you to the perverted delusion that you must not vote for a particular candidate just because he is Hausa, Igbo or Yoruba.

“Even amongst ourselves let us begin to cultivate our relationship not on the incidental question of tribe but as common brothers and sisters united as fellow compatriot through our common belonging to one and indivisible nation.
“If I were to pertain my focus solely on tribe, I would certainly not have been able to marry my Yoruba-born wife, since the 70’s, who beyond my wildest imagination has come to be my Jewel of Inestimable value,” he stated.

Atiku said in comparative appraisal, the first republic stood out even till today as the golden moment in the annals of Nigeria’s political history.

He said this because politicians of those days were relatively much better off in terms of integrity and achievements, at least, compared to political actors of the Second Republic till the contemporary civilian dispensation.

“Unfortunately, the venomous cankerworm of tribalism which dominated the politics of that era proved to be the irresistible force which in its invincibility, devastated that otherwise memorable era and brought it to a grinding halt from which it never recovered till date.

“This is to pinpoint in poignantly clear terms the limitless havoc inherent in the monstrous scourge of tribalism which we must all avoid like a plaque.

“Let us all live like one single united family in peace, harmony and mutual co-existence, and build this nation to the visionary dream of our founding fathers,” Atiku noted.