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The Patriots, a group of eminent non-partisan Nigerians and elder statesmen, has decried the level of insecurity in the country, particularly the recent abduction and killings in Oyo State.
This is as it also regretted the high cost of politics in the country.
Speaking during a press conference on Thursday, Chief Emeka Anyaoku, the chairman of The Patriots, said they expressed reservation over the continued killings and the sacking of communities in parts of the country.
Attended by other members of The Patriots like Professor Pat Utomi, Professor Anthony Kila and Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SAN), Chief Solomon Ademota, The Patriots said; “We express serious concern over the unabated killings, kidnappings, and the sacking of communities by bandits taking place in many parts of the country, including especially in the northeast, northwest, north-central, and more recently, the southwest zones,” he said.
“We are anguished that the number of people being driven into the camps for internally displaced persons, the IDPs, has been growing and that more and more farmers are unable to return to their farms because of the activities of the bandits, and that thereby increases the threat of food insecurity in the country.
“In the view of this, the Federal Government should now treat insecurity as a national protection, governance, and economic survival crisis, deserving of the appointment of a special committee to advise it on measures to be taken to deal with the different ramifications of the crisis.
“The recent abduction and killings in Oyo and Ekiti States shows how urgent the call has become.”
“We addressed the forthcoming 2027 national elections. We decried the absence of ideologically based politics amongst our political parties, and which has encouraged the constant defections of elected representatives from there to other political parties, thereby confirming the untoward belief that political parties are no more than platforms for seeking political power and public offices.
“We urged all the contending political parties to conduct their campaigns on the basis of issues rather than personal vitriolic attacks.
“We also express our concern at the collapse of our institutions and the values that should be guiding the people who lead us, who lead the country. And finally, we urge the Nigerian public in the 2027 elections to vote for candidates of political parties that have in their manifestos a clear commitment to restructuring the country’s present governance system.
“We conclude by stressing the fact to the Federal Government, to INEC, and to all concerned with the elections at the state and local government levels, that they should know that the international community will be watching to pass judgment on the entire conduct of the 2027 elections.”
