Benin National Congress

The recent outbreak of sectarian killings in Jos, no doubt portends grave danger to national security and democracy; as it is clear that powerful military elites are behind the inhuman actions. Accounts from victims indicated that the Sunday brutality was unleashed by people suspected imported from neighboring states or country. It is very obvious that the objective of these wicked elites is to provoke a state of emergency in Plateau state and neighboring states of the Northern region with a view to justifying the much speculated military coup in our polity.

As an ethnic based organization, we are concerned about the future of ethnic nationalities in the event of an expansive civil unrests in Nigeria; hence we deemed it fit for the umpteenth time to advise the National Advisory Council and the Presidency to ensure strong border security in forestalling illegal arms importation as well as the influx of terrorist suspects into our country; this will greatly tame the devious desires of military elites and their counter-parts who may wish to explore the full negative opportunities prevalence in Nigeria since the controversial health status of President Yar Adua. It is mindboggling to say the least the extent Nigeria’s polity and economy has been jeopardized owing to the crude agenda of a few anti-people elites; this accounts for our endorsement of the conferment of the Ag. President status on Jonathan Goodluck by the two arms of the National Assembly February this year, despite the perceived legal and moral reservations. Our endorsement was based on the need to strengthen democracy; civil institutions and security by an Ag. President who will have the full complements of the Law as contained in the 1999 constitution to take proactive steps towards moving Nigeria forward.

We have formally sent our condolence letter to the government and people of plateau state, particularly thousands of bereaved Nigerians who have either lost their relations or are displaced by the religiously-colorated violence. We call on the Governor of the State to constitute a Religious Harmony and Reconciliation Commission with a view to finding a lasting resolution to the age-long crisis; this in our view is expedient because researches have shown that religious crisis cannot be mutually resolved with an Investigative Panel whose reports are to apportion blames. However, that is not to say that Federal Government should over look those who seek to undermine the fragile peace and sovereignty of Nigeria. We are deeply concerned by calls being advanced by Niger Delta groups for succession; we will continue to study the current insecurity issues posed by the sectarian crisis in Jos; as well as the involvement of military elites at destabilizing the Country with very keen interest, even as we vow to resist any attempt that will undermine democracy. We seize this medium in calling on the presidency to convoke a national conference that will raise cardinal areas for policy reforms; constitutional amendments and cultural and religious reconciliation. As it stands, Nigerians have burning ideas which could be best tabled in such a national conference for robust debate and analyses. To continue to gloss over intellectual powers of “non state actors” like the Prof. Wole Soyinka led Save Nigeria Project, the Gen. Buhari led Nigerians United For Democracy and their likes is in itself calculated attempts to undermine our corporate existence; and the Congress is willing to support any plans to convoke a national conference, because in our recent history, circumstances like this are very uncommon; hence calls for serious ‘introspection’ of our internal reservoirs of wisdom, before things gets out of hand.

For and on behalf of the Benin National Congress
Mr. David Ekomwenrenren
Director of Publicity and Intelligence.