#EndSARS: Let’s resolve our differences without bringing down Nigeria –  AbduRasaq

Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara has stressed the need for Nigerians to resolve their differences without necessarily burning down the country.

The governor stated this on Thursday in Ilorin during a meeting with political party elders and opinion leaders across the 16 local government areas of the state.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the meeting came barely two days after the governor had held a similar parley with first-class traditional rulers in the state.

The meeting was also held a week after the state Security Council meeting, which centred on the goings-on in the state and across the country.

“It is time for us to speak with one voice that we should resolve our differences without necessarily burning down the country,” the governor told the gathering.

He also urged the political and opinion leaders in the state to join his administration’s efforts at ensuring that frayed nerves were calmed and that the country was not brought down.

AbdulRasaq, who noted that the #EndSARS protest started well, said that the protesters were within their constitutional right to express their grievances.

“All indications point to the fact that what started as a peaceful protest was hijacked by some other interests. But for us, we must ensure that our state remains peaceful as it has always been.

“The protest here has been very peaceful and I even joined them, except for a pocket of unfortunate incidents which are now under control,” he said.

The governor, who said that everything possible must be done to disallow persons with selfish interests from throwing the state into crisis, urged the elders to appeal to the youth to give peace a chance.

“We should not bring down our country. I urge you to use your influence to talk to our youths on the imperative of peace,” the governor said.

The APC Chairman in the state, Bashir Bolarinwa, who spoke on behalf of the elders, commended the governor for his efforts at maintaining peace in the state.

He promised that the party leaders would take his message to the grassroots and rally the people behind the administration’s efforts at ensuring a peaceful state.

In his remarks, a former senator, Alhaji Ahmed Mohammed, called for more synergy among the security agencies in the state and the invocation of relevant laws to address security challenges.