The Acting President on Wednesday urged Nigerians to exercise caution in their
utterances and respect each other in their conversations and interactions to
foster national unity.
Speaking at a seminar on national unity and stability at the DSS Training
School, Bwari, Abuja, Osinbajo also advised the citizenry to shun all
narratives which foment trouble and create divisions and embrace those that
unite.
According to the Acting President, the language of exchange in the country must
be civil and we must not tolerate a situation where people speak in any way
they like.
He was reacting to hate speeches which had crept up in different sections of
the country, thereby heating up the polity.
Osinbajo warned that the Federal Government had no choice than to ensure the
security of lives and property of citizens.
He noted that the administration had initiated series of social investment
programmes to promote social justice and give all Nigerians a sense of
belonging.
“The truth is that we have a duty to ensure that we deal seriously with the
issue of poverty and social justice,’’ he said, adding that the N500 billion
earmarked for social investment programme would be utilised in that direction.
He said that the fund was not for poverty alleviation, but specifically meant
to correct the social and economic imbalance in the country.
Osinbajo noted that many Nigerians were poor not because the country was not
endowed but due to massive stealing of public funds by past leaders and said it
was the duty of all to stand against corruption.
He observed that Nigeria’s destiny is in the hands of the youth who constitute
two-third of the country’s population, urging them to get actively involved in
the nation’s political process.
“If you must take over, you must be directly involved in the political process
of your country,’’ he said.
The acting President stressed that no matter what side of the divide one
stands, “We are greater together than apart.”