The national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Bola Tinubu and Kaduna State Governor, on Tuesday said that serious action must be taken against insecurity challenges ravaging the country.
They disclosed this in Kaduna during Tinubu’s visit to the state to commiserate with the government and the people over last week’s train attack.
Tinubu, who said that the country was bleeding, expressed the need to fight banditry and terrorism with all strengths, while, El-Rufai said difficult decisions must be taken in electing leaders who will rescue the country out of its current situation.
The former Lagos state governor said that all energy must be used in fighting against those he referred to as “enemies of peace.’’
He, therefore, enjoined all Nigerians to contribute their quota in healing victims of the attack and pray for the repose of the souls of those who died in the incident.
Tinubu said: “I’m here to sympathise with Governor Nasir el-Rufai and the people of the state over the train attack. It is a national disaster. It’s a blow to all of us.
“Nigeria bleeds. We need to fight terrorism with all we have. I understand some people were killed while some others are missing. It is frustrating.
“We will support Governor El-Rufai on the rehabilitation of the victims. The governor is a symbol of our unity. Once in a while, we still remember the first stanza of our old national anthem – ‘Although tongues and tribes may differ, but in brotherhood we stand’.
“If enemies of peace and progress think they can deter us as a nation, we must together stand against them and say no.”
The presidential aspirant of the APC also donated N50 million to support the rehabilitation of victims of the attack.
In his reaction, El-Rufai appreciated Tinubu for taking time to come and commiserate with the state, adding that the visit forestall his plan of visiting Lagos to thank Tinubu for honoring the people of Kaduna State by canceling his 70th birthday on the day of the event because of the train attack.
El-Rufai said, “This gesture is a powerful show of leadership and empathy unprecedented in our national history.
“The government and people of Kaduna State will not forget this. We are grateful to you for your sacrifice and commitment to the greatness of our country.”
El-Rufai said Nigerians must elect leaders in the forthcoming general election who would drive the country to the prosperous path.
According to him, the challenges bedeviling the country are human and therefore not intractable. They could be solved, he told his guest.
The governor said: “We need a society that can be just and equitable where no group of people will lord it over others.”
Speaking on Tinubu’s presidential ambition, the governor said, “We are aware of your aspiration to lead this country. We look forward to further engagements on this.”
