Following the offer of assistance from the government of the United States of America to help Nigeria in dealing with the Boko Haram issue, former presidential candidate of the Nigeria Advance Party and human rights activist, Dr. Tunji Braithwaite, has urged the President Goodluck Jonathan-led Federal Government to reject the offer.
Braithwaite, who spoke in his house at press briefing he addressed on behalf of the National Action Coalition of Democratic Forces, said such assistance or any international assistance for that matter would only help to exacerbate the problem rather solving it.
While accusing the international community of only being interested in the Nigerian case because of their interest in the country’s oil, the activist said the only true solution to the Boko Haram crisis and other such crisis in the country is dealing corruption a death blow and re-writing the Nigerian constitution.
He said: “We do not want America’s help. We do not want any Greek gift of international interference at this time. It will only exacerbate the problem, because their only interest is oil.”
He warned Nigerians and religious leaders not to regard the Boko Haram crisis as a religious issue, because religion to him will only be a diversion from what the real issues are, which he said is, “corruption which must be dethroned.”
The group also spoke about other issues which they said require urgent national attention if the country must be rescued from further drifting.
One of such issues is the re-writing of the 1999 constitution, which they insist is the creation of the Abubakar Abdulsalami military regime’s Decree 24.
According them, unless there is a new constitution, which will help to redefine the Nigerian nation, the problems in the land will persist.
To them, the National Assembly cannot be the body to re-write the constitution because those there are a part of the problem.
They said the solution is to convoke a Sovereign National Conference, which will help to re-direct the nation on the right part.
While reminding President Goodluck Jonathan of the need not to allow himself to be a captive of a political party or interest group and play an all-inclusive role rather than the present government of exclusion, Braithwaite urged all Nigerians to join the government to battle the Boko Haram menace.