Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, Nigeria's High Commission to Ghana and former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in Lagos State, spoke to OBIRE ONAKEMU in Accra on the recent council election in Lagos, values that he has added to Nigeria's image as an envoy, removal of oil subsidy and growing insecurity in the country.WHY did you choose to disown the results of the recent Lagos council polls'There are two results out there now; the legitimate result and the one created by Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Which one of them are you talking about'Anyway, we disown the one created by Tiunbu, because that is not the legitimate one.We want the people of Lagos and the country to know that an election took place, the results were announced in every polling units and Tinubu, together with some people, results were not collated at the wards level or at the local governments headquarters, which is legitimately where the results were supposed to be announced.But they went outside there to announce fake results without even giving a breakdown.Usually, when results of councils are announced, a breakdown would follow, in terms of who score what. But they never did that; they just announced total figures allocated by them, thinking that they are gods and whatever they prescribe must come to pass.An election took place in Obalende/Ikoyo LCDA and somebody won, but they refused to announce him winner. That is what we are dealing with here.We want people to know that these people only pretend to be democrats and progressives, because no progressives would annul a freely given mandate by the people.They even printed the ballot papers and most of the presiding officers were members of their party and families, yet we were able to overwhelm, especially in Obalende/Ikoyi LCDA. Yet, they refused to do the right thing.I am still surprised that as at today, we have not had those civil rights activists protesting the outcome of the election. Not a single one of them have spoken on this issue. Are we having a selective justice in Lagos'You can't have it both ways. It is either we all stand-up for the truth and stand against injustice at all times or we don't at all.What is your take on the planned removal of oil subsidy'If one should look at the argument being presented by the President, only a fool would not sympathise with the situation that we are in at the moment. Less than one per cent of our population is profiting from the subsidy and society is losing a lot by using what could be invested in the provision of infrastructural for subsidy.What the President is saying is that we should stop these wastes and put these resources to develop our country, which is a very patriotic position to take.I know too well that the President is a listening President and would take the views of those who are in favour and those who are against and ensure that at the end of the day, the interests of the common men and women of this country are adequately protected.How do you see to the growing problems of insecurity in the country'This is part of the sacrifice that we have to make, as a nation, towards development. There is the belief that we are going to come out stronger, and President Goodluck Jonathan is trying his best to ensure the safety of Nigerians.All of us must join hands at this particular moment to give him all the necessary support. The security agents cannot succeed without the cooperation of all of us.There are people who know the movement of these militant groups and have knowledge about some of the things these people are doing. They have to come forward and help the security.When you talk of security in the Western world, that is how it is done, because most people are patriots and cannot sacrifice their country for anybody or for any other special interests. I hope Nigerians would also rise up to this occasion.If there is any time in our history when we should stand up for our nation, there couldn't be a better time than now. We should put asides our ethnic colouration and embrace Nigeria.I can assure you that this is the only tent that is protecting all of us, whether you are in the South-South, Southwest, Southeast, Northeast and the rests. It is only Nigeria that can protect all of us.One can see how the governors are oppressing those who are not with them in their respective states. If the federal government were taken away, the governors would run people out of the states. It is because this tent is big and sensitive enough to all of us that this country is what it is now, and there is the belief that it is worthy our support. And if we do that, we would all be better off.But do you entertain any fears over Nigeria's unity and existence, as a corporate entity, in the face of the Boko Haram menace, which is spreading'It is as if I knew what you are coming to next, hence is why I said it is in our interests to protect it. In every geo-political zone, you find different ethnic groups in the minority, but Nigeria has made it possible for all of us to be at peace.There are so many divergent issues and views that make coming together a very difficult and the only tent that has protected those who are in the minority from those who are in majority is this tent called Nigeria.So, it is of paramount interest for all of us to embrace Nigeria and help Nigeria to survive this challenging period. We are going to come out stronger as a nation.Yes, the challenge is there and the situation is very dangerous for our unity, but at every point in our history when we had challenge, we had risen to the challenge and won, as a nation.So, we are going to rise together, as a nation, to conquer this challenge and move on.
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