“Our nation will not disintegrate after the elections” – David Mark declares

BY ABU IDRISU

Senate President, David Mark has assured Nigerians that the nation will not disintegrate after the general election in February.

Mark urged the Federal Government and the Armed Forces to increase their efforts to rescue the Chibok girls abducted from a school in Borno State 8 months ago, and also to win the war against Boko Haram.

While welcoming his colleagues back from the Yuletide break as the Senate resumed on Tuesday, January 13, Mark said every Nigerian irrespective of tribe, religion or political divide must support security agencies in their task of defeating Boko Haram for the nation to move forward.

Mark said: “Government must do all it can to end this insurgency. This is a war that we must win and we will win. The tendency is to blame government for this sore state of affairs. Every Nigerian, irrespective of partisanship, must demonstrate patriotism to our country. We must support our Armed Forces and other security operatives to stop this evil. Insecurity plagues all of us and must be tackled holistically.”

The Senate President also spoke on next month’s general elections, saying that in spite of the gloomy predictions about the country, he remains “optimistic that we have the political will” to surmount the present challenges.

He said: “We have a role to play in ensuring that Nigeria witnesses a peaceful general election. Despite the much vaunted fear, apprehension and anxiety that our nation may not survive the elections by some dooms-day prophets, I personally remain optimistic that we have the strength of character, the political will, the perseverance and maturity to rise above all the challenges that lie ahead.”

“We are all leaders and I know that we will work towards peace and harmony. Our nation will not disintegrate after the elections,” Mark added.

Furthermore, Mark commended the members of the Armed Forces and other security agencies whom, he says had paid ultimate sacrifice to free the country from the activities of insurgents and described the victims as heroes and heroines whose deaths must not be in vain.

“We pray that the souls of the deceased rest in peace. They are our heroes and heroines and their deaths must not be in vain. We must not dishonour their memory by politicising the security challenges in the North-East.”