Buhari Must Also Visit South East To Douse Tensions In Region – Prof Uwaleke

Nigeria’s first professor of capital market and former Imo commissioner of finance, Uchenna Uwaleke, has advised President Muhammadu Buhari to visit the South East and hold talks with relevant stakeholders with a view to dousing current tensions in the region.

Speaking against the backdrop of Buhari’s recent visit to Borno where the president “assessed” the security situation in the state, Uwaleke said the president should also visit the South East to help address recent separatist agitations and violence being witnessed in the region.

The professor spoke as a guest on the inaugural THE WHISTLER FORUM which recently held at the Abuja headquarters of the newspaper.

He believes that Buhari’s presence in the region, especially Imo which is currently the epicenter of security challenges in the region, would have “huge impact” on the region’s current security challenges.

The professor also warned of the possibility of about 1,800 convicts who escaped from the Imo State correctional center in April, regrouping to unleash mayhem on the state and its neigbours.

Uwaleke, who spoke during the session themed ‘Nigeria’s Economy and the Quest for Diversion’, also touched on the economy and the federal government’s recent ban on Twitter, amongst other topical issues.

Asked his view on President Buhari’s trip to Borno, he said: “In the last few days the president appears to have come out of his shell. The live interviews he granted to the Arise TV and NTA were timely because they came at the peak of tensions in the country.”

Uwaleke recalled that there were tensions and planned protests from different sections ahead of this year’s June 12 Democracy Day, but noted that “the interviews helped to douse the tension as that level of protest did not materialise.”

He said the interviews gave reassurance that “we have a president that is still in charge.”

Uwaleke added, “The populace wants to see the president from time to time, paying visits to troubled spots, so that’s the kind of president that we want, not a president locked up somewhere.

“So, we want to see the president in the South East and South West addressing security challenges. If he goes to the South East and has a genuine discussion with the South East leaders, it will help to change some impressions and help to reduce the tension in the region.

“I’m aware that a few days ago, the Chief of Defence staff was in Enugu to address the security challenges, if the president goes there, it will have a huge impact. So, he should continue along that path, because that will also give people a sense of belonging. Most agitations are borne out of the feeling of exclusion,” he said.

Uwaleke also responded to a question on if President Buhari’s plan to reclaim grazing reserves across the country could help to resolve the farmers-herders crisis and related security issues being witnessed in parts of the country.

“My position in bringing a lasting solution to the farmer/herders’ clash has been well articulated by the southern governors’ forum.

“The southern governor’s forum is not in support of open grazing. They are saying the herders should be kept in one place and that is where I want to perch.”

He added that, “Even the governor of Kano state is not in support of opening up the country for cattle herders from every part of the Sahel into Nigeria, and the last time I listened to the Kano State governor, he was talking about ensuring that any cattle herder that comes into the country is registered.

“So, we know where he [a herdsman] is coming from, we should know what they are doing and where they are and I think that is also what the southern governors were saying, and they do not have to carry arms. What I can say is that the southern governors already have a position and I would want the federal government to adopt that position as a lasting solution to farmers/herders clash.”

Uwaleke stressed that the farmers-herders crisis was a major aspect of insecurity that “has caused inflation, and partly caused the food crisis in the country.”