Mr Alhassan Yahaya, Zone E Vice-President of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), has advised past leaders in the country to desist from making utterances that could threaten peace and unity in the country.
Yahaya gave the advice in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Gombe on the security challenges in the country.
“It is not time for politics. Election is over; let’s try as much as possible to unite as one country to develop Nigeria.
“Now that election is over, national interest and citizens’ welfare should be top priority.
“Nigeria belongs to all of us and until we keep sentiments, religious and ethnicity aside, only then will we move forward and experience development as one united country.
“Based on our constitution, everyone has the right of freedom of speech but we must speak within the provisions of the constitution and not to speak to create chaos or tension within the country,’’ he said.
Yahaya charged security personnel to monitor and arrest anyone guilty of hate speech that could incite violence.
Similarly, Mr Victor Alkali, the immediate past chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Gombe State chapter, said the security of the country was a collective responsibility and not an individual task.
Alkali stressed that for the country to enjoy peace, everyone including traditional institutions must be involved.
“Leaders must not be sentimental or biase, there should be collective condemnation of all negative acts.
“If our leaders can be nationalistic, we would have fewer problems in the country and our unity as a people would be easily protected for sustenance of peace,’’ Alkali added.
