A former Head of State, Gen. Abdulsalam Abubakar, has said that peace has become the most expensive commodity in the country now.
And for peace to be restored in the country, he said Nigerians would have to unite against insurgency and crime.
Abdulsalam said this in Gombe on Monday when he paid a condolence visit to the state government over the demise of a former Emir of Gombe, the late Shehu Usman Abubakar, who died in May.
He described peace as the most expensive commodity, which everyone in Nigeria must contribute to its maintenance in the country. He said there could be no meaningful development without peace.
He said, “The most expensive commodity in Nigeria now is peace. So, I appeal to Nigerians, we should do all we can to sustain the peace in this country, because without peace, there will be no country and nobody can go out and look for his livelihood. All of us have a role to play in maintaining the peace in this country.”
Commenting on the coming 2015 general elections, Abubakar advised politicians to adhere to the rules of the game, instead of insisting on winning at all costs.
Abdulsalam said, “As we go to the polls in 2015, every Nigerian has a role to play in ensuring that our elections are credible. How do we do that? By ensuring that we vote according to our conscience, according to the candidate we like and to ensure that our votes count. There is always room for improvement. Nation building is a continuous process. You do your own, you move ahead and your successor builds on what you left. He leaves, another person comes and it continues. So, democracy is always a learning process. You can never have a perfect democracy.”
The former Nigerian leader pleaded with the insurgents troubling some parts of the country to embrace dialogue and give peace a chance.
“Again, I plead for peace. We should give peace a chance. If you have grievances, there are channels through which you can lay your complaints and seek redress. So, I beseech those causing the insurgency in this country to, in the name of whomever or whatever they worship and respect, please, give peace a chance,” he pleaded.
Copyright PUNCH.
www.punchng.com/news/peace-most-expensive-commodity-in-nigeria-abubakar/
