The Governor of Bayelsa State, Hon. Seriake Dickson, has said the war against terrorism appeared ineffective during the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan because it was politicised and ethnicised by the opposition.Dickson, who spoke at the opening ceremony of the 11th All Nigerian Editors Conference in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital, on Thursday said there is nowhere any war succeeds without the support and cooperation of all citizens.
He said: “The last Peoples Democratic Party government didn’t have sufficient understanding and cooperation from the opposition.
“They politicised and ethnicised the war against terror.”
Dickson said it has become obvious now that it was not for lack of trying that the Jonathan administration did not totally crush terrorism.
He said: “With the new government, it is obvious terrorism does not have any coloration and we must unite to fight it.”
He said the government must do its best to ensure everywhere is secure and that even if it is only one location that is unsafe, the country cannot claim to be secure.
Dickson advocated for new ways of doing things.
He called for “change of attitude, new way of playing politics, new attitude to development”.
He described the theme of the conference: “Nigeria the change we need: Role of the Editors,” as appropriate, particularly when viewed against the change mantra in the country now.
He said there was the need to diversify the economy.
He said after elections, the people should understand that it is time to unify, calling for support for the Federal Government in the areas of national security and developing the economy.
The Chairman of the occasion and Chief Executive Officer of Channels Television, John Momoh, challenged the Editors to take the lead in the change mantra that has taken root in the country.
Momoh said the media must truly reflect on its role as the fourth estate of the eralm and play it as such.
The Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Information, Dr. Folasade Esan, said change only occurs when you exercise control over things you have power over and not when you yearn to change what you cannot control.
Osinbajo said Nigerians are yearning for positive and sustained change and must be assisted by the media, as a major stakeholder in the Nigerian project, to achieve this.
He described the media as a major platform in promoting change.
The Conference will end on Sunday.