Nigerian statesmen and leaders under the aegis of top Pan-Nigerian groups, the Pro National Conference Organisations (PRONACO) and the Project Nigeria Movement (PNM), have condemned the killing of Mrs Funke Olakunrin and called for an urgent national political dialogue.
Mrs Olakunrin, who is the daughter of Pan-Yoruba movement Afenifere leader Reuben Fasoranti, was murdered on Friday by gunmen believed to be herdsmen, an act that has sparked outrage.
Describing the murder as dastardly, wicked and ungodly, both groups said the murder was unacceptable and unbearable, “as it is capable aggravating the already tensed situation in the Southwest and foisting unwanted civil strife on the country”.
“We, therefore, strongly call on President Muhammadu Muhammadu, Chairman of the Governors Forum, Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State and National Leader of the ruling APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, among others to urgently put a strong machinery in motion for National political engagements to prevent a breakdown of law and order over the cruel and criminal killings in Southwest by armed Fulani robbers and bandits,” they said in a statement signed by their Joint Spokesperson, Olawale Okunniyi.
Beyond the call to the President and others, PRONACO and PNM notified its allied national leaders, statesmen and heads of nationality and self-determination groups about a possible emergency political convergence next week.
The groups commiserated with the Afenifere leader and prayed for “divine fortitude” for those who have lost loved ones to banditry and kidnapping in the country.
PRONACO is a pan-Nigerian movement initiated under the leadership of the late Chief Anthony Enahoro and the Nobel laureate Professor Wole Soyinka to find solutions to the nation’s challenges, while Project Nigeria Movement is a coalition of civil society groups led by respected Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Ben Nwabueze.
Read the full statement below:
Eminent Leaders of thought and Nationalities in Nigeria under the aegies of Pro National Conference Organisations, PRONACO initiated by Late Chief Anthony Enahoro and Prof Wole Soyinka and Project Nigeria Movement, PNM led by Prof Ben Nwabueze, SAN condemn, in an unequivocal terms, the dastardly and wicked murder of Mrs Funke Olakunrin, daughter of Afenifere Leader, Pa Reuben Fashonranti yesterday by suspected Fulan armed Kidnappers and Robbers operating on Nigeria’s Highways
We wish to state categorically that yesterday’s criminal murder of the daughter of the Leader of the pan Yoruba movement, Afenifere, is wicked, ungodly and remains unacceptable and unbearable to our Pan Nigerian political platforms, PRONACO and the Project Nigeria Movement as it is capable aggravating the already tensed situation in the Southwest and foisting unwanted civil strife on the country
We, therefore, strongly call on President Muhammadu Muhammadu, Chairman of the Governors Forum, Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State and National Leader of the ruling APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, among others to urgently put a strong machinery in motion for National political engagements to prevent a breakdown of law and order over the cruel and criminal killings in Southwest by armed Fulani robbers and bandits
The Joint National Secretariat of Project Nigeria Movement and PRONACO however wish to use this unfortunate occasion to put all its allied Eminent National Leaders, Statesmen and Arrow heads of Nationality and Self-determination groups on notice about a possible emergency political convergence next week to address the tensed situation created by menacing and marauding armed Fulani bandits in the country, especially the cruel murder of the daughter of Afenifere Leader yesterday
Finally, our sympathies and commiserations, at this sad moment, go to Pa Reuben Fashonrati, Yoruba Leader and his family and to the entire Yoruba people, who have lost thousands of their folks and loved ones to armed Kidnappings and Robbery coordinated by heartless ransom taking and blood thirsty Fulani marauders in the last one year. We, therefore, pray for divine fortitude for all those who have lost their loved ones to this alien armed banditry and kidnapping in Nigeria
Signed
Olawale Okunniyi
Joint Spokesperson
For: PRONACO/PNM
