The Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN)’s
governorship candidate at the 2015 general elections in Ogun state,
Prince Rotimi Paseda, has declared that there is nothing wrong in the
move by President Muhammadu Buhari to negotiate with the dreaded Boko
Haram terrorists.
He encouraged the president to go ahead with negotiations with the sect, if such a move would guarantee lasting peace in the country.
Paseda said this over the weekend while featuring as one of the guests at the Correspondents’ Forum, organised by members of the correspondents’ chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in Ogun state in Abeokuta.
He expressed his support for the negotiation move by the president after the twin bomb explosions that rocked Abuja on Friday, October 2, leaving 20 people dead and 41 others injured.
The former governorship aspirant, who also decried the spate of bombings and other violent activities of terrorists in Nigeria, said it was not a bad idea if the federal government holds a round table meeting with the sect members.
He said: “Even in civilised countries, they go to the round table with terrorists. The best thing is to look for peace first while preparing for war.
“There is nothing wrong with sitting down with Boko Haram or any other group to discuss a way forward. In most cases, you will find out that psychologically, they are tools for certain people,” Paseda said.
On the recent submission of the list of ministerial nominees to the Senate president, Bukola Saraki, through his chief of staff, Abba Kyari, the UPN chieftain urged the president to appoint ministers and other public office holders who have the best interests of the country at heart.
“He should not allow anyone’s pressure to stop him from what he sets out to achieve having waited this long,” the Ijebu-born businessman cum politician advised.
Paseda called for stiffer penalties for any politician or public officer found guilty in the ongoing anti-corruption war.
He noted that until treasury looters are severely punished, people in government will continue to plunder the nation’s resources to the detriment of the majority.
The former gubernatorial candidate suggested a part-time legislature for the country to reduce what he described as “outrageous pay” for legislators.
“I must say that the country can no more sustain the outrageous salaries and allowances that are paid to our legislators. We should start voting for career officers or successful people into our National and State Assemblies so that they can be paid sitting allowance instead of salaries,” he added.
Paseda dismissed the notion that without restructuring Nigeria, no leader can effectively provide good government in the country.
He said: “Our problem is not restructuring, but leadership. Political leadership is our problem and President Muhammadu Buhari’s leadership has proved this.
“If we elect right leaders into positions, we will be successful. But the problem is, most often, we elect leaders that prefer to initiate policies that would keep the masses poor so that they will be able to control them. Let us look carefully at the background of any aspirant before voting for or against him.”
The UPN chieftain also charged the media to always take a keen interest in putting government on its toes through balanced and investigative reporting, saying “that is the only means through which we can bring the needed change”.
Source: Naij
He encouraged the president to go ahead with negotiations with the sect, if such a move would guarantee lasting peace in the country.
Paseda said this over the weekend while featuring as one of the guests at the Correspondents’ Forum, organised by members of the correspondents’ chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in Ogun state in Abeokuta.
Prince Rotimi Paseda
He expressed his support for the negotiation move by the president after the twin bomb explosions that rocked Abuja on Friday, October 2, leaving 20 people dead and 41 others injured.
The former governorship aspirant, who also decried the spate of bombings and other violent activities of terrorists in Nigeria, said it was not a bad idea if the federal government holds a round table meeting with the sect members.
He said: “Even in civilised countries, they go to the round table with terrorists. The best thing is to look for peace first while preparing for war.
“There is nothing wrong with sitting down with Boko Haram or any other group to discuss a way forward. In most cases, you will find out that psychologically, they are tools for certain people,” Paseda said.
On the recent submission of the list of ministerial nominees to the Senate president, Bukola Saraki, through his chief of staff, Abba Kyari, the UPN chieftain urged the president to appoint ministers and other public office holders who have the best interests of the country at heart.
“He should not allow anyone’s pressure to stop him from what he sets out to achieve having waited this long,” the Ijebu-born businessman cum politician advised.
Paseda called for stiffer penalties for any politician or public officer found guilty in the ongoing anti-corruption war.
He noted that until treasury looters are severely punished, people in government will continue to plunder the nation’s resources to the detriment of the majority.
The former gubernatorial candidate suggested a part-time legislature for the country to reduce what he described as “outrageous pay” for legislators.
“I must say that the country can no more sustain the outrageous salaries and allowances that are paid to our legislators. We should start voting for career officers or successful people into our National and State Assemblies so that they can be paid sitting allowance instead of salaries,” he added.
Paseda dismissed the notion that without restructuring Nigeria, no leader can effectively provide good government in the country.
He said: “Our problem is not restructuring, but leadership. Political leadership is our problem and President Muhammadu Buhari’s leadership has proved this.
“If we elect right leaders into positions, we will be successful. But the problem is, most often, we elect leaders that prefer to initiate policies that would keep the masses poor so that they will be able to control them. Let us look carefully at the background of any aspirant before voting for or against him.”
The UPN chieftain also charged the media to always take a keen interest in putting government on its toes through balanced and investigative reporting, saying “that is the only means through which we can bring the needed change”.
Source: Naij
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