Security Challenges: This is no time for blame game – Oshiomhole

Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State on Tuesday urged Nigerians to partner the nation’s security agencies in fighting terror groups in the country, saying: “This is no time for blame game.”
Oshiomole, who made the call while fielding questions from State House correspondents in Abuja, said Nigerians must wake up to the reality that “terrorists are here”.
He said: “My attitude is that Nigerians have to wake up to the reality that terrorists are here.
“May be few years back, many of us didn’t think that was possible.
“I thought we enjoyed living so much so that no one will wire himself to take his own life just because he wants to take the life of another innocent person.
“I think for me on the issue of security, all of us must work together.
“It’s not a blame game.
“A blame game won’t take us anywhere.
“The reality is here.
“The terrorist doesn’t know your age, gender, region or religion.
“The evidence is that everybody has become a victim.
“So, on this issue we must speak as a nation, united in a common voice to denounce terrorism and to work together with the Federal Government to fight terrorism decisively.”
According to Oshiomhole, on the issue of security, there is no party, no economic interest, no commercial interest but national interest.
“When we win and secure the country, then we can do politics,” he added.
He, therefore, urged Nigerians to speak with one voice and unite to denounce terrorism and to work together with the Federal Government to fight terrorism.‎
Oshiomhole, who criticised the way and manner security matters were being reported by the media, appealed to the media to desist from celebrating criminality.
He said: “But, I think even you the media, sometimes I worry about the headlines.
“We must not be seen to celebrate criminality because at the end of the day, this is the only country we have.
“Any other country can give you 10 years visa, not permanent residence.
“We have no other country than Nigeria.
“When I see a headline like ‘holy war in Kaduna’, how can a war be holy?
“How can an editor write that an act that leads to death is a holy war?
“Until you read the body of the story then you find that it was an incident in a city in a state where some people attack some other persons.
“How can you say that is holy?
“That may make you sell the paper, but if there is no country, there is no newspaper reader.”
On the crisis in the All Progressives Congress in Edo State, Oshiomhole said the beauty of democracy was that people could move from one party to another.
He said while the party was losing members, some others were joining it.
He added: “Democracy is not about grip.
“We have freedom of association.
“The beauty of democracy is that people can move front or back, right or left.
“Some people have joined us from PDP in the past month.
“A member of the House left PDP to join us.
“Don’t forget that some people also left to join us.”