Tinubu: Nothing Justifies Dividing Nigeria
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has urged Nigerians to put national unity above their religious, ethnic and political differences, stressing that dialogue and peaceful engagement remain essential to keeping the country together.
The President made the call on Tuesday while addressing the International Conference on Security and National Unity in Abuja. He was represented at the event by the Deputy President of the Senate, Barau Jibrin.
Tinubu said Nigeria’s diversity should not become a reason for division, insisting that disagreements among citizens should be addressed through conversation rather than confrontation. He said his administration remained committed to strengthening national unity while tackling the security challenges facing the country and working with other nations to promote peace.
The President described the conference as timely, given the security and instability confronting different parts of the world, and expressed optimism that discussions at the gathering would contribute to efforts to build lasting peace in Nigeria, Africa and beyond.
Also speaking at the event, the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Prof Nentawe Yilwatda, warned politicians against using religion and ethnicity as tools for gaining political advantage.
Yilwatda said such tactics might produce temporary political benefits but could create long-term divisions that would be difficult to reverse. He urged political leaders to recognise Nigeria’s diversity as a strength rather than a source of conflict.
The APC chairman, who recalled his experience as a displaced person during the Bauchi crisis, said violence does not discriminate between religious groups because both Christians and Muslims can become victims of conflict. He appealed to religious leaders to make mosques and churches centres of peace, reconciliation and responsible citizenship, while urging them to avoid statements capable of encouraging hatred or violence.
The Executive Secretary of the Nigeria Inter-Religious Council, Prof Cornelius Omonokhua, similarly called on Nigerians to reject attempts to exploit religion, ethnicity and poverty to create divisions. Omonokhua stressed that Nigerians share a common humanity regardless of their faith, adding that both Christianity and Islam uphold the value of human life and should therefore never be used to justify violence.
The Sultan of Sokoto and Co-Chairman of NIREC, Sa’ad Abubakar III, also urged stakeholders to move beyond conferences and ensure that agreements reached at such gatherings are actually implemented. He said Nigeria already has many ideas and solutions capable of addressing its challenges, but that the major problem remains the failure to properly implement decisions that have been reached.
The conference was attended by government officials, governors, traditional rulers, Christian and Muslim leaders and other dignitaries. The Muslim World League Secretary-General, Sheikh Mohammad Al-Issa, was also present. A major outcome of the meeting was the signing of the Abuja Declaration, which seeks to strengthen cooperation between Muslim and Christian leaders and establish a peace-building mechanism aimed at preventing religious tensions from escalating into violence.
The gathering came amid continued concerns over insecurity, religious tensions and political divisions in Nigeria, with speakers stressing that the country’s future depends on citizens and leaders choosing dialogue, tolerance and cooperation over division.
Tinubu’s message was therefore centred on the need for Nigerians to recognise their shared interests and preserve the country’s unity, regardless of differences in religion, ethnicity or political affiliation.