Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has advised Biafra and YorubaNation separatist agitation to shelve the idea of breaking up Nigeria, insisting that countries across the globe are coming together for the common good.

“Yorubas are not better off on their own, Igbos are not better off on their own, the North is not better off on its own. We are better off as one nation. That is why we are strong, and that is why we can face the world,” reasoned Mr Osinbajo. “Everywhere in the world today, people are coming together to form stronger units. They are not breaking up. This is not the time to break up.”

His media aide Laolu Akande disclosed this in a statement on Sunday in Abuja, noting that the vice president made the remarks an interactive session with top officials of Nigeria’s High Commission, UK, at the Abuja House residence of the High Commissioner in London.

“If you read of the economics of smaller nations, they are looking for ways of how they can become stronger by aligning with other nations,” added the vice president. “How does a country with all the potential and everything that we have, think that the best way is to break up?”

Mr Osinbajo further explained that Nigeria was at a point in its history where it had security and economic challenges and that such challenges could happen to any government.

“If you look at all of us sitting here, we represent all the geopolitical zones. This is the Nigeria that will succeed; anything else doesn’t make sense,” he stated.

Mr Osinbajo also noted that Nigerians at home and abroad should promote the message of a united Nigeria.

“Security challenges that we have didn’t show up in one day, but it is the government, the people, the men and women that will handle them,” he added. “We happen to be that government, and I am very convinced that we are entirely capable of handling it. I think we are in the best possible position to solve these problems.”

(NAN)