Lar, Gana disagree on FG, Boko Haram talks

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Pioneer National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Chief Solomon Lar, on Sunday, warned the Federal Government not to dialogue with the Islamist group, Boko Haram.

Lar stated this as a former Information Minister, Prof. Jerry Gana, advised President Goodluck Jonathan to explore the dialogue option to restore peace to the country.

Lar, who spoke in Kaduna with newsmen, argued that it was unacceptable for any sensible government to dialogue with a faceless organisation.

He said it was not just enough for the sect to nominate people to dialogue on its behalf, but its members should first come out in the open and identify themselves.

He said, “I disagree completely (to dialoguing with Boko Haram) unless they show their identity that Mr. X, Y, Z is Boko Haram. For them to name some people to be their representatives, who are they? They are faceless people, let them come out and reveal their identities.

“Has Gen. (Muhammadu) Buhari agreed? Is Buhari their representative? Is Ali Mungonu their representative? You see, I didn’t want to mention names, but if they (Buhari and Mungonu) said yes, are they (Boko Haram’s) representatives?

“But have they agreed to represent them? Let them come out. During the Niger Delta militants crisis, some people came out and said they were the leaders of the militants. That was very reasonable and that was how the late President Umaru Yar’Adua was able to tackle the problem of militancy in the Niger Delta. The Niger Delta militants were not faceless like Boko Haram. Why didn’t Boko Haram follow the example of the militants by showing their faces?”

Meanwhile, Gana in Abuja shortly after being conferred with the leadership award by Christian Council of Nigeria, said dialoguing with the sect was the only panacea for peace.

He, therefore, urged the Federal Government to accept the peace initiatives by members of the sect.

Gana said, “I am saying here that the government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria should take this matter various serious because the most important way to have peace is through dialogue and resolution.”