BSM cautions Northern Awareness Movement over plan against Wike

… Says any attack on Wike is an attack on all well-meaning Nigerians

The Benin Solidarity Movement, (BSM), a non-governmental, apolitical and socio-cultural group has reacted to an online publication credited to Northern Awareness Movement over a plan to attack the Executive Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, saying the said statement is capable of drawing a perceived battle line between the North and southern Nigeria.

The online publication signed by Muhammed Inuwa, Coordinator of the group on Thursday described Wike’s statement as a smear campaign against the entire Northern region of the country.

In the press statement issued and signed by Ambassador Curtis Eghosa Ugbo and Ms Esohe Adun, President and Acting General-Secretary respectively, the Movement said “Governor Nyesom Wike’s statement is a unifying factor that will enable the country to rise up from those who has drawn us back, and wonder how can a region claim that they did not need others to produce the presidency of the country.

According to BSM statement, “Wike is the voice of the voiceless; the dogged southern leader in whom Nigerians are well pleased. Why should the group want to draw a battle line with Wike who means well for the entire country?

“One would have expected the Northern group to call Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to order over his statement where he claimed that the North does not need Yoruba and Igbo to become president of Nigeria.

“As Atiku claimed to have Nigeria at heart, one wonders why he came out openly and authored such a statement. Should we regard such as a unified statement from a man who wants to preside over the affairs of the country? Absolutely No!

“We assumed that the Northern Awareness Movement may not have understood the level of damage such statement is capable of causing the country.”

Going further, the group added, “Wike is not and will never become enemy of the North going by his diligence donations to the northern region of the country as well as his hands of fellowship and solidarity extended to the north. The problem we seem to have in this country is when a man refuses to take a bow when the ovation is loudest. Considering the gentleman’s agreement between the National Chairman of PDP, Iyorcha Ayu and the leaders of the party.

“We expect Ayu to step down going by a previous statement where he said that, if a northerner emerged as the presidential candidate of PDP, he will quit. What is wrong with Ayu calling it quit as the national chairman of the party now?

“Just a few hours again, the new Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Liz Truss tendered her resignation. This is a decision that will be difficult for any Nigerian leaders to make.

“We hereby conclude, without any iota of doubt, that Wike is the voice of the voiceless, the mouthpiece of those who are working towards the growth of this country. Any plan of attack on Wike is an attempt to kill the dreams of good Nigerians.

“We also want to use this medium to call on past northern leaders to advise the Northern Awareness Movement to desist from their plan against Governor Wike. Should they carry out their plan, Benin Solidarity Movement (BSM) Worldwide will resist and fight for Governor Wike.

“The Northern leaders, as a matter of fact, also prevail on Senator Iyorcha Ayu to tender his resignation letter for the betterment of his party.”