The Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’ad Abubakar III, has said America, Chinese and other countries cannot solve Nigeria's problem, except we determined to solve it hence, all Nigerians should ensure national unity ahead of the 2023 general elections.
Abubakar said this at a one-day National Unity Conference of The Alumni Association of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (AANI) with the theme: “Nigeria’s National Unity in the build up to the 2023 General Elections” in Abuja.
He said it was important for the nation to go back to where it missed the road, adding that Nigeria must retrace its steps towards building a better society.
Abubakar, who is the Chairman, Heritage Council of AANI, said the problem of Nigeria could only be addressed by Nigerians themselves, adding that elections must not be seen as a do or die affair.
“We have had series of talk shows like this across the country in the last two, three or four years and we are still having more all towards bringing stability, sanity, understanding, love respect amongst all of us as Nigerians.
“If anyone is telling you that everything is well in this country he is telling you lies and we have had so many times to say it in front of Mr. President.
“Things are not normal and I think to know that you have a problem, you have half of the solution. The other part of the solution of the problem is what we are looking for as part of this conference.
“Let us continue to talk to one another, let us not get tired of talking to one another,” he said.
Abubakar called on all Nigerians to see their diversity as an act of God, adding that God was never wrong to have allow the different ethnic groups to coexist as a nation.
“For us to be united, we must know who we are and we must know our history.
“We now have people who don’t know history in their youth. All they do is to insult leaders and call people names, call other ethnic nationalities derogatory names and if you don’t stop that, you cannot get unity that you are all shouting for,” he said.
Dignitries at the AANI conference were the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, former Chief of Defence Staff, and former Special Adviser to the United Nations Secretary-General on Peacekeeping, General Martin Luther Agwai (rtd), CFR, the Sultan of Sokoto, His Eminence, Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, CFR mni, who is the Chairman of AANI Heritage Council.
Other prominent guests are Governor of Borno State, Professor Babagana Umara Zullum, members of the National Assembly, members of the Federal Executive Council, and eminent Nigerians from diverse backgrounds, as well as all members of AANI, among others.