 The People's Democratic Party PDP speaks again on insecurity in an ex-President Bahá'í to start a national dialogue, while youths are encouraged to be united amidst the security concerns. And Governor Yosemite imposes a curfew on river states to address the security situation of the states. Well, this is plus politics and I am Mary Ann McCoy. The People's Democratic Party PDP has urged President Mohammed Bahá'í to begin a national dialogue to discuss the rising insecurity in the country. The PDP National Chairman Uche Second gave the advice that the emergency meeting of the party's National Executive Committee, he said the insecurity situation in the country, was alarming. And also the Nigerian youths have been advised to stay calm and united amid the rising security challenges that the country is facing. For joining us to have this conversation I have MC Abe, he is a comedian, and also someone who is an activist for social justice. We also have Reverend Father Edward, who will be a public affairs commentator, and Courage and Removal, who is a legal practitioner. Thank you very much gentlemen for joining us. Thank you. It's good to be here. Pleasure to be here. Great. Honour. Great. Thank you Father, because I know that you work with a non-governmental organisation, and of course as a preacher and a man of the class, you obviously would be one of those advocating for peace. But then we are experiencing a very, very disturbing level of insecurity and unrest in Nigeria as we speak. But then the PDP is asking for a national dialogue, explain to us what a national dialogue, what mode it would take and why it would be important if need be. Well, thank you Mary Ann for inviting me to this parley. And thank you listeners, thank you co-panelists. I think the PDP in asking for a national dialogue has not done anything wrong. I'm not a politician, so I cannot speak for the PDP, but what I as an ordinary Nigerian believe is that despite the country is degenerating into very, very dangerous times, is alarming. And any certain Nigerian should be worried about the state of affairs of our country at this time. We seem to be living in a place that is near to anarchy at this time and it seems like political leaders have rejected the functions for which they were elected, for which they implored us to put them in power. And now Nigerians seem to have been left to fend for themselves. So yes, I would concur with the PDP either a national dialogue or something close to it that would actually bring Nigerians to re-discuss and renegotiate how we wish to move forward in terms of security architecture and everything that should bind us together as a nation. So I think the PDP is right in doing that and I would urge other bodies, other organizations, other political entities to weigh in and to ensure that this doesn't continue to degenerate the way it is going. Father B, I'm just, I'm more curious as to these conversations. We've had several conversations in this country. I mean, we'll discuss in killings, kidnappings, banditry. Will it be the solution to the problem right now? Because a lot of people are advocating for action other than talk. There's been lots of talk. There's been talking tough, there's been just talk, there's been lip service. What change will this talk bring really in terms of what we're facing now? Because where we are, we're at the threshold of something really, really big that might just spiral out of control. So what will talk do for us right now? Yeah, I think dialogue is not the solution at this time. Action should be what we do. But so far we realize that the political authorities, especially those who in the country at this time are not or seem incapable of down the kind of force that is needed to arrest the situation at the present time. So that dialogue might be able to give or perhaps put the proper pressure the right places to enable the interventions that we do to do at this present time. Let me come to you. Dialogue is not a bad idea, but action is needed. If those who are able to precipitate that seem incapable or unwilling to do so, what else can we do? Citizens are not allowed to bear arms on their own if they lock into their hands. So perhaps that with the kind of, with more political entities, national figure being in maybe the real that may bring pressure to bear on the powers that we had in time. All right. Let me go to MCI Bay. You obviously are a comedian, but you use your craft, your art to send messages. You have shows on the radio that talk and address the issues that we're facing, whether they be social, political in Nigeria. So he's talked about dialogue also being a pathway to helping solve the problem. But the level of insecurity that we're facing in Nigeria, according to the PDP, spokesperson Prince Uche Secundus, is taking some form of toll on our economy, is taking the toll on our education. Now people can't, children can't go to school. Remember there's a university in Kaduna State where students were abducted. So it's taking a huge toll on us as a country. But let's talk about us as a people, because it looks like we keep talking, but nobody gets to hear us. Now the PDP seems to be a way to its responsibility as a political party and now they're speaking. We've done a lot of talking. Can we be heard? Will we ever be heard? And the actions that we need to match this, can it be found under this administration? Well, this is a very, very cool gender question and like you said, there've been a lot of talks and a back and forth that has not yielded the necessary results. And I don't think there's no problem if we have more rooms for talk, but the bottom line is implementation of what is discussed. We have a problem of leadership. We have a problem where our leaders don't take the lead. Where our leaders have decided to turn their faces to the other side and allow things to just go on. A whole lot of insecurity all over the nation from the north to the south, to the east to the west. We are sitting in a keg of gunpowder. There's an implosion already in the country and people are just waiting for the next move to cause an explosion. Things are happening everywhere and our leaders are not taking the lead. I mean, we sit here and we look at these things and we observe. We know that if the security agencies, if they do what is right, we can achieve results. I'm sorry, can we leave that responsibility solely at the feet of security agencies? Let's not forget that these people also are at the mercy of the executive. Remember, we were all in this country where for the first time soldiers put out a video saying that they were playing their part. But they are playing their part. The fact that they have, and I'm not in any way spokesperson for the military, but the fact that they decided to step, just by enemy lines to fight for us is them playing their part. But what about what they need to carry out that? To put us to the soldiers, to put us to the military forces, I'm talking about the government. If the government themselves, the executives, if the leadership of the country play their part towards the security agents and towards the endurance, we would solve this issue. Because for me, I feel the problem lies with our leadership, not even with the security agencies, lies with our leadership. You can imagine how much is being projected every month or every month, I don't know how often they do that for security, for security votes, and what they do. Look, our security agents are not well equipped, there's no proper information, gadgets for them to tackle the issues, and our leaders are folding their hands like I said, nothing is happening. You understand? And you bring it to them, they will keep saying the same thing that they've been saying for donkey years. We are on top of it, we are looking into it, we are setting up a committee, and they will set up another committee to look into the committee, all kinds of crap, all kinds of crap, because nothing is happening from there. Today they will come, look at what the governor of, is it the Benway state, look at what he said, which is that some misgrants will take those words and take that passion out of context and start to attack him, say why you are attacking the presidency, why you are attacking the government, the government of the day is not working, the government of the day is not functioning, they failed us, the same agent will soon become a failed state. Hello, we are already a failed state, what is holding us together is our individual love for ourselves, nothing more. Interesting. It is a terrible case, and if we don't make that decisive move from the government, if the government don't take that stand, no matter how many times we meet and dialogue and dialogue, the ball falls in their court for them to make the necessary move that is gotten from the dialogue, do you understand, a lot of talks have been back and forth, the government and their hands are just like this, and they cannot say that they don't know what's happening, they can't say that they don't, I mean all over the country if it's not kidnapping, it's not binding, it's not binding, it's Boko Haram, not Boko Haram it's just the problems everywhere. All right, let me bring Marisa Courage into the conversation, there have been national conferences, just like I said before, we've had the national confab that was won under the Abbasan Jawa administration, good luck, Jonathan did have one, and really we've not really seen anything done with whatever resolutions that were made at the end of the day, so again it makes an ordinary taxpayer wonder why there should be another convergence of whatever we want to call it, a national dialogue, a town hall, a national town hall, if there's nothing that would be done with the resolutions, even if it's one that is being used or implemented, if we don't see the body language of the government as one that wants to make use of those ideas that are put together and placed before the table of Mr. President, why waste taxpayers' monies on it, and do you believe that that's what we need right now, or maybe we should be going another route? Thank you for that question. Of course we've had national dialogues, the question is what's where the outcomes of those national dialogues, and are they relevant in the present day, so you know how the Bible says, come let us reason, I don't think it's actually a bad call from the PDP for us to have a national dialogue, but the question... I think we're losing you there, I'm gonna take this question back to Father Elbi, if we really are ready to fight this insecurity, because I'm sorry, I think we have to deal with Courage's internet and then we'll get back to him. So Father Elbi, I was asking if we really are ready to fight insecurity, why aren't we doing so? Why does the government of the day who took a nose to protect us, our properties and our lives, wait for us to scream and cry out to them to deal with this issue of insecurity, is this not a pointer to the fact that maybe because it's not hitting close to home, government is not prioritizing our safety? I might be wrong, but you can correct me. Well many Nigerians have been left to wonder why it would take so long for those to whom we have given the power to protect us, for them to react to these issues, because it seems that we have been abandoned and Nigerians are digging in deep and seeking other ways, alternative ways of addressing the security issues that attack, that confront them. It seems to me that there is a complete abandonment of shift here, because we have a government in name, we have a president sitting, but we never hear from him, attacks of all kinds occur from time to time, we hear nothing, no condemnation of it, and it seems to me that the bandits or whatever they are called are further emboldened by this silence, because they believe somehow that somebody right at the top has their back, and this cannot make a country function properly, because our citizens devise their own methods of protecting themselves, it cannot be organized, and it cannot sue for peace. So I think once again that yes, whereas it's way past the time for dialogue, dialogue is never too late. This is my own opinion. MC Abbey, young people have been asked to be calm, in fact I'd like to quote the Pan-African Youth Union, which under their auspices called for young people to be calm, because of all the security britches and the insecurity, but all that is happening should, I mean nobody's asking for anarchy, but unity, calling for unity at this point, and asking for young people to become, especially when young people try to come together, I mean we're all here when they came together and said enough is enough, we cannot be profiled wrongly and you know bitten battered and harassed by police officers, they were being shot at. Why would young people want to come together again for any reason in this country, especially at a time where every single person is now a target, and our governments seem not to be doing anything about it? Fantastic and I think on the case of young people, what we practically need right now, yes we need to become, we cannot go violent, we cannot cause anarchy, there is need for calmness, but there's also need for strategic planning and strategic projections by young people, this is the time where young people start engaging themselves, different pressure groups start engaging themselves, strategically with solutions, preferring solutions, bringing to the table how and what can be done, this is the time we need to speak truth to power on the situation of the nation, this is the time we need to stand for what is right and do it in such a strategic way that we don't come out being violent, we need to lend our voice, we need to keep speaking, we need to have that optimism of hope that Nigeria will be better or can be better again because I mean this is the only country we have, goes down we all go down, if it burns down we all burn, but we need to devise a better means of approach, no more a violent route but a more strategic think tank, engaging ourselves, projecting ourselves and positioning ourselves towards a better Nigeria and I think if we do that now it will add, give us more credit and put give a redirection or refocusing of the nation because a whole lot of things have to be talked about, you know when you try to shut the young minds from speaking truth what they don't understand is they are trying to cut short the destiny of the future or the power line or the fuel of this nation, you know and we will not we will not subject to that, we will not agree that a march should be short, nobody will speak truth to power, we should start engaging ourselves, talking about the unity of this nation, how can we be united, what's about restructuring, where is the place of the constitution, are we going to have a new constitution, what is the move of getting a new constitution, what are we talking about, I mean should we talk about should we engage the different units of the nation, let's know if we really want to stay together, let's know if we are, if we have agreed to be one, let's have a dialogue, let's discuss on how can we have a fair share, be together as one, what are you contributing, what am I contributing, what are the red flags, where are the lines that should not be crossed, let's have this conversation, let's engage ourselves, engage our minds, not just in the place of leadership or in government alone, but leadership in development, leadership in IT, leadership in, what are the words, leadership in structural development, let's position it in the country, in the place where the globe would look at Nigeria and they would love to identify with us, we need to do image laundry, we need to clean up our mess, we need to project our strength, we need to show for the things that we are good at, we need to celebrate them, we need to empower ourselves, look at SMEs, I mean it has been bastardized in these countries, in this country, but empowering the entrepreneurs, entrepreneurs are just there working hard for themselves, the government is not doing, we need to engage ourselves and start talking about things, talking about these issues, so that we can have a drive, a focus and position ourselves correctly to, if I, pardon me, do you want to take over, yes, I mean I think it's the right time, if the time is right, we've got to, you know, let black minds take over, let black minds be in place of authority, it's the high time we do that, yeah. I hope that courage is back with us, are you there, can you hear me? I can hear you clearly, clearly. Perfect, perfect, great, great, great, so let me pose this question to you, the very famous and somewhat controversial man of the cloth Rev. Mbaka is back in the news now and he's been asking for the President to step down because of his inability to handle the situation in the country as fair security, he's also asked that the National Assembly impeach Mr. President because he has been incapable of keeping the people of Nigeria safe, now not just that, the APC has responded with SWIFTS, well SWIFTly they have responded to Father Mbaka, in fact they have threatened to expose him, but then of course let's talk about communication and how it flows within this government and their response to what issues, be they interesting, be they expedient, be they important, and sometimes maybe trivia, in this case what should have been the response of the government in dealing with this kind of situation and the response that the government is giving, does it reflect a government that's really willing to do the beating of the people and to secure the lives of their people? Is it just a government that's more interested in how people speak to them or how people address them? First of all, Father Mbaka as a citizen of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, he has the right to freedom of expression, it's a legal call, the call he has made is a legal call. Oh dear, we're gonna have to let Courage go because he's having the problem with his internet, but Father Mbaka that is your colleague in the cloth, would you like to speak on what he has said, I mean of course everybody would say there's nothing wrong with what he has said, but again I'm looking at the body language of the government and the response to his call. Yes, well this is interesting because Father Mbaka is my colleague and we as priests are not supposed to meddle in politics or play active parties and politics, but he somehow doubled into it before the same Buhari that he now is calling to step down was elected and then since then he has remained in that fray, occasionally altering things positive or negative against the incumbent. Now he is being threatened naturally if you dance with a pig, one day the pig will pull you into the mud whereas the pig will enjoy the mud, you might not find it funny at all. That perhaps is the situation that Father Mbaka finds himself now, but picking up from what my other panelist was saying, yes as a citizen of this country we all have the responsibility to nurture our country, to nurture thought, to direct our thinking towards what is right. If he has the inspiration and the boldness to ask Buhari to resign, this is not an unusual thing. Citizens in other countries in better climes do not even have to ask their political officials to resign. Those officials resign as a matter of their integrity. So I think I could join my voice to him by asking the president since he has demonstrated so manifestly the incapacity to contain the violence or check the insecurity, perhaps he should just bow out honorably and leave others who perhaps have a better idea on how to run things to step onto the fray. Well unfortunately we do not have more time, I would have loved to have MCIB's input on this but we have to go. Thank you very much but Albi is a Reverend Father and he is also a public affairs analyst. We also had MC Abbey, he's a comedian, a very renowned one and is also one of those people who is or could be referred to as a change agent and we were also joined by Vice of Courage, Mr. Removal, whose internet has not allowed him to really be part of this conversation. But thank you gentlemen for being here, we appreciate it. Thank you very much. Thanks for inviting us. All right well we'll take a short break and when we come back we, River State Governor imposes a cookie on the state, we'll get to find out why.