OSINBAJO: I’M READY TO QUIT IF BUHARI IS COMPLICIT IN BENUE KILLINGS
OSINBAJO:
I’M READY TO QUIT IF BUHARI IS COMPLICIT IN BENUE KILLINGS
George Okoh in Makurdi
PROFESSOR
YEMI OSINBAJO in Benue State… wednesday
“Let me
assure you that under no circumstance whatsoever will I give up my faith or
refuse to stand up for my faith. You can take that to the bank. Even the
position that I currently occupy, I did not ask for it and I’m prepared to
leave it on short notice. It doesn’t mean anything.
“I
became a born again Christian after I became a professor, a Professor of the
Law of Evidence, a professor of proof. But when the Lord Jesus Christ met me,
He persuaded me by showing me clearly that there is such a thing as the
evidence of faith that is not seen. “It is because of the evidence of things
that are not seen, it is because you can make something out of nothing that I
stand here today as vice- president.
How can
anyone say that the killing of women and children doesn’t matter because he is
vice-president or because he is president? How is that possible?
Vice-President
Yemi Osinbajo has vouched for President Muhammadu Buhari, saying his principal
has not departed from the commitment and promise he made to religious leaders
to be fair and just to all Nigerians regardless of religious faith and belief.
Osinbajo,
while absolving the president of complicity in the perennial killing of
Christians by herdsmen in Benue State, said that as a Christian he would not
hesitate to quit his position if truly there was an agenda on ethnic and
religious cleansing in the country.
The
vice-president made this known Tuesday night at a stakeholders’ meeting in
Makurdi, the Benue State capital, in response to allegations that the
administration was pursuing an agenda of Islamisation.
According
to Osinbajo, “I am not just a politician. As a matter of fact, I’m also a
priest and I am a Christian, a born again Christian. Because I’m a born again
Christian, my destiny is not determined by any man but by God who I serve.
“Let me
assure you that under no circumstance whatsoever will I give up my faith or
refuse to stand up for my faith. You can take that to the bank. Even the
position that I currently occupy, I did not ask for it and I’m prepared to
leave it on short notice. It doesn’t mean anything.
“I
became a born again Christian after I became a professor, a Professor of the
Law of Evidence, a professor of proof. But when the Lord Jesus Christ met me,
He persuaded me by showing me clearly that there is such a thing as the
evidence of faith that is not seen.
“It is
because of the evidence of things that are not seen, it is because you can make
something out of nothing that I stand here today as vice-president. How can
anyone say that the killing of women and children doesn’t matter because he is
vice-president or because he is president? How is that possible?
“Certainly,
it cannot be for a person who is born again. A renewed mind will know that
there is justice, there is consequence even if there is no justice here on
earth.”
He
assured his audience that the federal government has marshalled out a plan for
the state that will bring relief to the victims of the farmers-herdsmen crisis.
“The
first issue of course is one of security and that is why we have definitely
beefed up security and I’m sure if you heard some of the comments that were
made and especially by the governor, you would notice that a lot has been done
with respect to security especially in the past couple of weeks and we must
continue to ensure that security is first priority.
“Second,
the issue of course is to ensure that those in IDP camps return to their homes.
Many of their homes have been destroyed, and farmlands have been destroyed
too,” he said.
Osinbajo
acknowledged that the crisis was a major problem, adding however that it did
not start with the present government and must be studied carefully before
making any allegations.
Earlier
at the meeting, the Bishop of Gboko Catholic Diocese William Avenya had said
there was an attempt to Islamise the country.
He
called on the vice-president to stand up for Christians who have been worst hit
since the killings started.
“Honourable
Vice-President, you are a Christian. When you once met us, we spoke to you at
Gwarimpa (Abuja). We called you a friend, you called us your friend. When
Buhari came to campaign and requested of us to appeal to our people to vote for
him in 2015, he pointed at you and said, ‘Here is a Christian, my
vice-president; here is one of your sons, Akume, another Christian; Audu Ogbeh,
another Christian. How can I turn this country into an Islamic territory?’
“The
point I’m trying to make is that a day is going to come when you as
vice-president, the injustices in our land, especially those perpetrated on
smaller tribes that have no one to fight for them; when the issues and the
records are raised, you too will bear the brunt of that problem. So, as a
Christian, exonerate yourself from this situation.
“I
plead with you to be a Christian and a committed Christian, somebody who
understands the law and one who speaks for justice. This is the way to
conciliation and peace in our land. Let us stop this political thing that means
practically nothing. Let us talk in truth. We thank you for coming.
“At
least we are telling you face to face. I hope you are hearing and I hope you
will not politicise and swing the thing. And those with you, if they quote
somebody, let them quote precisely what we have said. It will be very
beneficial,” Avenya said.
