The Lord Bishop of the Diocese of Lagos West, Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion, The Rt. Revd. Dr. Peter Awelewa Adebiyi, has taken a swipe at the military invasion of Lagos State following the collapsed discussions between the Federal Government and the organised labour on Sunday before its eventual resolution on Monday.
Adebiyi, in a statement he personally signed on Tuesday, faulted the President Goodluck Jonathan-led administration for biting the fingers that fed them.
Lagos State, according to him, “recorded an unprecedented number of votes during the last presidential election, despite the fact that the state is being governed by one of the opposition parties. It is instructive that from the pattern of voting in other elections, the people of Lagos State voted the President as a person and not the political party he represents.”
He said it was therefore unbelievable Jonathan whom “Lagosians voted massively for, turned around to militarise the state in the face of simple and peaceful demonstration against government policies that affected citizens of Nigeria.”
He added: “Are we at a war? It is rather shameful and unbelievable seeing military personnel brandishing guns and armoured tanks in the early hours of Monday 16th of January, 2012 as if we are at a war whereas simple dialogue and sense of reasoning would have prevailed instead of the military option, which was later called off. In the first instance, the military invasion was needless, unacceptable and uncalled for.
It is on record, he also added, that “the only unfortunate death recorded as a result of the strike in Lagos State was occasioned by an unprovoked and senseless killing of an innocent young man in Ogba area of the state, by a trigger happy senior police officer.
“The overwhelming presence of dignitaries that attended the rallies in Lagos against the removal of fuel subsidy, despite the differences in party and religious affiliations, attests to the fact that government must always do what pleases the people.”
While warning against harbouring fifth columnist that masquerade as friends, supporters and advisers within and outside the government circle, Adebiyi advised Jonathan that “the demonstration staged by some sections of the public in the South South region in support of the President is a bad omen which has only portrayed President Jonathan as a sectional leader and which is also capable of causing ethnic war. Their action could only be seen as an exercise that could create disunity among all federating units called Nigeria.
“For the umpteenth time, I wish to call on our political leaders, especially President Jonathan, to urgently convoke a Sovereign National Conference, where different ethnic groups in the country, will come together in a round table and decide how they would be governed.”
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