*As APC stands by President on broadcast
The National Youth Caucus of All Progressives Congress (APC) on Friday in Abuja expressed support for the establishment of special court for hate speech in the country.
The National Chairman of the group, Mr Mark Nsimbehe, told the newsmen on the sideline of the group’s news briefing that the courts would help to guard against divisive speeches in the country.
Nsimbehe said that the group was in support of every effort targeted at unifying all ethnic nationalities in Nigeria.
“We are for peace, we are for progress and we are one Nigeria; so, we urge the Federal Government to step up and arrest those disgruntled elements and their sponsors accordingly. ‘’ he said.
The youth chairman urged those clamouring for restructuring to do so with caution, and advised them to channel their reasons for the call to the appropriate quarters.
He pointed out that political structures evolved over time and that Nigeria had been restructured at various times yet the agitations had not stopped.
“Let us therefore restructure our hearts and minds so that the real restructuring of the country can be meaningful.
“We also want to see a blueprint of the restructuring as it is being clamoured for us to know the essence of it, if it means creating more states or reducing the states’ revenue formula.
“We also want to know if it is about a change from the presidential to other forms of government; let them detail their position and submit same to the National Assembly.’’
Nsimbehe said that the group was in support of the government’s anti-graft war, adding that the courage and the political will the government was using to recover loots was also commendable.
He said that the group shared in the pains of Nigerians as it concerned high cost of food items.
He said that food became scarce partly due to the insurgency in the North-East as farmers abandoned their farms for fear of being attacked.
Nsimbehe, however, said that the government had done well in returning the farmers to their various locations and expressed optimism that in few months, the food problem would abate.
He reiterated the group’s loyalty and support to APC and its programmes, especially those targeted at improving the lives of the youths like N-Power and conditional cash transfer.
He also expressed support for all the issues raised by President Muhammadu Buhari in his broadcast on Monday.
The youth chairman pledged the group’s readiness to mobilise and consolidate the more than 75 million youths in the country to key into the party’s course of winning the 2019 general elections.
He decried the harassment and intimidation of APC members in Abia and Bayelsa and urged the Inspector-General of Police and other security agents to put a stop to it.
The group spoke just as some of the respondents, who equally spoke to The DEFENDER on the matter, not only supported the idea of special courts for hate speech offenders but also that such courts also be made to include in their duties the trials of corruption cases.
One of the said, “Establishment of special courts should also be made to try corruption cases like they will try hate speech offenders. This will not only advance and speed up the wheels of Nigeria’s drive toward a well ssnitised society, it will also Dave the country of cost of duplicating such courts, which are needed for such cases.’
