Advocates of Nigeria’s division won’t win, says Osinbajo

Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo has implored Nigerians not to allow those who want the country divided to have their way.

Osinbajo said this when he received a delegation of Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), the apex northern socio-political group, at the state house in Abuja.

In a statement issued by Laolu Akande, his media aide, on Wednesday, the vice-president said the strength of the country lay in its diversity.

“A lot of those who say we are better divided as a nation, don’t understand that the greatness of this country lies first in its diversity and then in the size of the country,” he said.

Speaking to the ACF delegation, Osinbajo condemned those who see nothing good in the unity of the country.

“It is better to be a part of a great thing than to be one tiny part of something that is not necessarily great,” he said.

“So, I think that we must not allow those who advance personal causes to defeat the very strong objectives of bringing this country together as a nation and forging ahead.”

He told the delegation that President Muhammadu Buhari is one leader who possesses the willingness and passion “to ensure this country is a united country”.

He added that the president had shown that “this country has men who are determined to remain honest, straight forward and are able to speak their minds without deceit”.

Before being presented with publications of the ACF by Musa Liman, deputy chairman and leader of the delegation, Osinbajo expressed support for the proposed security summit being organised by the forum.

He also extolled the importance of the security summit at this time in the nation’s history, saying “it’s a very important thing; the security of this country is a very important thing”.