What I Discussed With Buhari – Gbajabiamila

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, has indicated that his discussion with President Muhammadu Buhari during his visit to the State House on Wednesday centered on the recent eviction notices issued to Fulani herdsmen in Oyo and Ondo States, as well as the security challenges facing the country.

Gbabiamila, who spoke to State House correspondents after his meeting with the President, said there was need for Nigerians to embrace dialogue in resolving whatever differences they may have.

Recall that Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State and a Yoruba activist in Oyo, Sunday Igboho, had issued quit notice orders to herdsmen in the respective states over reports that the herders were behind cases of kidnapping, armed robbery and other crimes in the states.

But Gbajabiamila said the citizens must shun ethnic or regional divisions if they must live in peace.

“Everybody just has to come to the table and discuss and come to an amicable resolution which I’m sure we will.

“I don’t think any ethnic group should lord it over any ethnic group, the South West should not lord it over the North, the North should not lord it over the South.

“We should respect each other’s trade, geographical space, history, culture and more importantly the issue of crime, murder, all those things should be completely jettisoned.

“But more importantly, we all have to sit on the table and discuss this matter and look for the way forward. I think everybody is willing to do that.

“From the National Assembly, solutions will come from talking.

“I believe that now that we are about to start work on Tuesday, I know these issues will come up and adequate and proper legislation that will address the issue frontally and in the best interest of the country, and all nations that make up the nation, such legislation will be put in place,” he said.

Gbajabiamila also spoke on Buhari’s recent appointment of new Service Chiefs, saying the National Assembly was in support of the President’s decision to rejig the country’s security architecture.

 “The appointment of new Service Chiefs is what everybody has been clamouring for, the house, senate, the public and the president took his time and he studied the situation very well and did it at the right time that he thought he should do it and we are in support of what he has done.

“Everything that is needed, we are all in this today. The National Assembly will not in any way put hurdles before the Service Chiefs.

“We will make the working environment suitable for them to be able to discharge their responsibilities very efficiently,” he said.