By Archibong Jeremiah
Youths under the auspices of Stand Up For Nigeria have joined several others who have thrown their weight behind the Bakassi deep seaport and Cross River super highway projects expressing optimism at the employment opportunities that are associated with them.
The group’s spokesperson, Obande Gideon disclosed the group’s position recently in a rally held in Calabar where he pointed out that, “The governor amidst scarce resources is embarking on a super highway project, a laudable project that must be encouraged and the youths of this nation will encourage it. We want to support the deep seaport, a factor that will trigger employment within the region, that project we stand to support, we stand to defend”.
The group also declared support for the amnesty program pointing out that it has to an extent, brought sustained peace and called on all to support the federal government in the fight against corruption.
“We are telling those who are trying to disturb the peace of this nation, encouraging the total scrap of the amnesty program, they should desist from it. Whether we accept it or not the amnesty program has gone a long way to establish peace in this country Nigeria” Obande said, adding that, “I want us to support the government of today at the centre, I mean the government of President Muhammadu Buhari, who is fighting corruption at all cost, as much as some people would term it to be one sided, it does not change the fact that the people that are been fought today are corrupt Nigerians. However we want to beg that in fighting corruption there should be obedience of the law, to judicial proceedings to balance it because to wrings cannot make a right.”.
On the issues of militants, he pointed out that “This nation is bigger than one single individual, today the uprising in the Niger Delta is something that we must condemn. We want to plead with our brothers to reconsider their position, their stand, rethink over it again because if these pipelines are busted their immediate environment will be the one to be affected, contaminated water, contaminated soil and in a case of serious fire outbreak there will be disaster. The question is, are we truly fighting for the people or a group of people because this adverse effects has greater effect on the people than the selected few in defence of the people”.
Furthermore, he condemned the Biafra struggle and questioned the clamour for its sovereignty. “The question is where, what is the benefit of the pursuit of the dream of a Biafra than us as an entity called Nigeria. The ethnicity and religion that has been the strongest tool for divide can be used for togetherness”.