Post-election riots: Northern leaders have no respect for human lives — Saleh

Posted by admin Latest Politics Thursday, May 5th, 2011

Mallam Hassan Saleh is former Director, Customs, Immigration, Prisons Pension Office (CIPPO). He almost lost his life in the mayhem that followed the presidential elections.
He told Daily Sun in Damaturu, Yobe State, that he was surprised to find himself alive along with his wife having been attacked by the hooligans in Potiskum. Saleh declared that “The North no longer has leaders that have respect for human lives. If our people claimed to be very religious, why must they destroy churches, mosques and even kill?”

The Potiskum incident
After the election, Saleh said he was on his way to Abuja when hundreds of irate youths waylaid his vehicle in Potiskum. He said the rampaging youths set burning tyres on the main roads, the bypass and in major streets in Potiskum. He said they pounced on his vehicle immediately they sighted him with his wife and that it was unfortunate that the boy leading the daredevils was somebody he knew so well:

“There was no reason for the attack because CPC won the election in the state followed by the ANPP. The youths took to the street when they realized that Dr. Goodluck Jonathan was clinching victory based on the results that were being announced.” According to him, the youths chased him to a friend’s house where he ran to for safety and destroyed his car attempting to burn the house he ran into until 4 policemen came to their rescue. He mentioned that he was surprised when dozens of them resurfaced after the police left and were determined to carryout their nefarious act. “As an indigene of Potiskum, the incident was an unfortunate one.

They were after the PDP chieftains and sympathizers.
“I with others set up the machinery for the creation of Yobe State and I was lucky to be the Secretary to the Government. Some of us are also lucky to be associated with those in power. Everyone knows that Waziri has been minister; the senator and others they wanted to kill are the same people that will help them to get somewhere in life. If they destroy our houses, they are in a way telling us not to come home any longer.”

He argued that if the Potiskum youths that were violent killed these prominent Yobeans, the state would not develop: “The people they killed and those they wanted to kill remain their big brothers and sisters. Unfortunately, we are the least developed, most insignificant and have more illiterates in the country. It is also unfortunate that we have many graduates in the filling stations selling fuel and many unemployed. They could be easily used to perpetrate this kind of act. There is something behind the scene, some people must be responsible.”

People were killed, churches, shops burnt
“With my very eyes, they set churches on fire and shops and one, in particular shop belonging to a man that has stayed for so many years in Potiskum. He now has no house and no food to eat. The man even voted for CPC and yet they did this to him.
“We claimed to be the most religious people in the world. How can one claim to be religious and yet go about burning religious buildings? The act does not tally with that of someone who is religious. It doesn’t pay to kill fellow human. It doesn’t pay to destroy public and other people’s property. It does not pay to be violent.”

The North no longer has leaders
Hassan Saleh condemned the way and manner the post election violence spread across Kaduna, Gombe, Kano, Bauchi, Borno and Yobe states all in the North. He wondered why the candidates for whom people were being killed for their sake would keep silent while the killings and destruction lasted.

He reasoned that for the interest of the country and respect for human lives, candidates should be proactive to calm down hot nerves. He said they should have called out to their supporters to stop taking the law into their hands: “In those days when we were very young, the late General Hassan Usman Katsina used to talk to us through the radio and preach the need for peace. Today, some claim to be national leaders, but will not talk and will be watching when people are being killed, property being destroyed. They no longer care because they believe that they drive in bulletproof cars and live in upstairs and could therefore not be reached because they believe they are save.”

INEC conducted elections in transparent manner
The former Director, Foreign Exchange also shared in the belief that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) conducted the best elections ever. He said those castigating INEC and the processes of the elections were just being ignorant and ashamed of facing the fact. Losers for once in the country should be able to congratulate their opponents that won and then commend INEC as good sportsmen. He noted that the electoral body was transparent in all its processes: “Jega and his men were not super humans but they did their best, however they could still fine-tune some areas.”

Security operatives
“Our police and security agents have been proven to be among the best in the world in various missions that they have participated. They also performed very well during the elections. However, they should not relax so that they would not be taken unaware.
“Nigerians are naturally law-abiding people. The police have done very well in the elections, and I believe that they and other security personnel could maintain the feat. For example, when the crisis started in Kaduna and other states, they would have taken necessary actions to forestall its spread.”

Recycling old hands should not continue
He said Nigeria was a country blessed with very young people with brain and the pedigree needed to contribute usefully to the development of the country. He advised Jonathan against recycling people who have been in government for ages stressing that they have run out of ideas to induce tangible changes in the economy: “There were people who have been in government since they were in their twenties. That situation is not good for the country. Young people with brains who are competent should be given positions not those in their 70s and 80s. Such people can be advisers having been in exalted positions for years so that they could support policies and programmes of action from behind. Women should also be appointed so that we could all together build the country of our dream.”

Need for Government of National Unity
Saleh advocated Government of National Unity (GNU) and the designing of all-encompassing policies and programmes of action that would accommodate the peculiar problems, needs and yearnings of all regions of the country. He said Jonathan was humanistic and has very large heart to accommodate every Nigerian irrespective of political inclination and ethno-religious background. He expressed strong belief in the ability of the President noting that he has surprisingly achieved so much within 10 months as president.

He pointed out that the resounding victory which he got at the presidential poll would remain a challenge for him to work towards the development of all parts of the country. He said all parts of the country voted for him and he thus won some states even in the North. He called on the President to come to the help of Yobe State pointing out that desertification, good water supply network and agriculture remain the major challenges of the state.

-Sunwp_posts