Atiku Bagudu, Governor of Kebbi and the Vice Chairman of the National Food Security Council, said the Shasha violent clash in Ibadan could be attributed to leadership competition.

Speaking on the issue of food blockade by the Amalgamated Union of Foodstuff and Cattle Traders, the governor said neither the North nor the South could win in such a situation.

He added that though ordinary Nigerians were willing to forgive one another following a crisis, the country’s elites were stoking the fire of hatred.

“I have been to Oyo after the Sasha incident. I have been to Abeokuta. I was a member of the delegation to Akure before then to Imo. People who are dealing with these issues are not looking at them in this elitist camp. They are willing to forgive each other; they understand that incidents can happen.

“They are a matter of life; sometimes, competition, like in Ibadan. Competition for leadership control is not tribal. We have seen competition for leadership of NURTW in different states, and it is still a perennial problem. We need to all put this together and know that isolated incidents should not be given pride of place to the detriment of those things that are more unifying and now supporting more Nigerians’ livelihoods,” Mr. Bagudu explained in an interview with ThisDay on Sunday.

The Kebbi governor also claimed that there was no food blockade against the South. According to him, the northern food dealers went on strike.

“First, in my remarks during the crisis, I said there was no blockade. We have to rise and defend our country against those who have nothing to lose if they encourage us to do the wrong thing. A union called Amalgamated Union of Foodstuff and Cattle Traders issued a statement a few days ago calling the government’s attention that their members were caught up in incidents across the country.

“Not just the southern part, but across the country. They have lost their vehicles. Before vehicles, some of them lost their lives. Some of them lost their vehicles, and it is generally more difficult for them to move goods anywhere across the country. It is not North to South; not South to North; that was the statement they issued and that if nothing was done, they would go on strike. They felt nothing was done to their satisfaction, and they went on strike.”

He noted further that he had to intervene to prevent the issue from escalating.

“But this has been turned to ‘Oh, there has been a blockage of some movement across the country.’ I remember calling the chairman. I said, ‘Well, then whatever the nobility of your cause, it is misrepresented as a blockade, which is not good, and it is coming at the wrong time.’ He quickly said they didn’t look at it from this perspective.

“We should strengthen the bond of what works for us. Nobody can win in a blockade. The poor farmer who produces his tomato and the person selling his palm oil are the ones losing.”