By Sunday Ani, Lagos
The presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Prince Adewole Adebayo, has promised to bring the full weight of the law on bandits that are terrorising Nigeria.
Adebayo, who made the pledge when he visited the United States Commission for International Religious Freedom recently also reaffirmed his party’s commitment to religious freedom in the country.
Those who attended the meeting that was presided over by the acting chairman, Commissioner Fred Davie, representing the Senate Majority Leader, Chuck Schumer, were the representative of the US President, Joe Biden; representative of the Speaker, Nancy Pelosi; Rabbi Abraham Cooper who represented the Senate Minority Leader, Mitch McConnell and other Commissioners.
Adebayo insisted that it is the responsibility of any responsible government to guarantee the safety of life and property of citizens. He added that a denominational or sectarian interpretation of the causative factors for killings and attacks in Nigeria was not a necessary analysis for putting an end to the crises because it is the duty of a functional government to protect lives and property and guarantee safety and freedoms of all citizens without discrimination and regardless of the motive of the violator.
“I will employ the full weight of government powers to contain the incessant attacks on Nigerian communities, in order to stave off the perception that the country is drifting towards a failed state scenario,” he said.
On what the United States Government’s position should be on the allegations of genocide and religious persecution in Nigeria, Adebayo advised the United States Government to approach Nigeria as a diverse country in which Christians, Moslems and other faithful would continue to live together and intermingle increasingly. “What is required is effective governance and rule of law to ensure that everyone in Nigeria feels safe and protected without any cause to fear discrimination or persecution based on religion and other identities,” he stated.
He emphasized that a government that fails to protect its citizens has no basis on which to assuage the subjective or objective fears of any group that feels unsafe and persecuted. “It is only by effective governance and fair administration of justice that a government assures all citizens of safety and security,” he noted.
He promised that his administration would enforce the Terrorism (Prevention) Act 2011 which enables the government to prevent and punish perpetrators of religious persecution, hate crimes and other abuses.
The Commission on behalf of the United States Government commended Adebayo and his delegation and wished him success in his quest to be Nigeria’s president in 2023.
