Date Published: 12/19/10

Violent Change: SSS may quiz Atiku

Abubakar Atiku

There are indications that the State Security Service (SSS), may invite former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, over some inflammatory remarks he made last week ago about the inevitability of a violent change if President Goodluck Jonathan insist on running despite the zoning arrangement .

Shortly after the remark where Atiku quoted Franz Fanon, the SSS had described it as unguarded, reckless and divisive with deep and grave security implications.

Top security sources hinted Pointblanknews.com at the weekend that the intelligence agencies are taking a good look at his remarks, and its security implications.

It was also gathered that the SSS has also launched a surreptitious investigation into his activities and those of his allies in the wake of his remarks.

According to Pointblanknews.com source who wants to remain anonymous because of the sensitive nature of the issue, Atiku could be invited this week to explain some grey areas in his remaAbubakar, at a national stakeholders conference organised by the Northern Political Leaders Forum, in Abuja on Wednesday, had said he had two messages, one of which was for the executive arm of government.

He then went ahead to quote an eminent writer, Frantz Fanon, saying, “Those who make peaceful change impossible make violent change inevitable.”

But Jonathan, in an apparent response to the statement, warned that no politician or group would be allowed to threaten Nigeria’s sovereignty.

“We will not allow anybody to take this country for a ride,” the President said during the decoration of newly promoted officers of the Nigerian Airforce and Nigerian Navy in Abuja.

His warning was reechoed hours after by the State Security Service which also warned that it would sanction any politician whose ‘unguarded utterances’ had the capacity of undermining the stability of the nation.

Continuing, Jonathan said, “I frown at people, especially politicians, who make statements challenging the sovereignty of this nation. Government will not take this lightly.

“I must say here that we will no longer allow that kind of culture, we will not allow anybody to take this country for a ride.”

The President pointed out that inflamatory statements had led to crises in which some men and officers of security agencies lost their lives.

He added that, “Government will not allow such utterances because when we have crisis in the country, we lose the men of the armed forces, the police and other security agencies. “We will not allow anybody to take this country for a ride. When we lose our men and officers, their children are made orphans. This country will not allow this.”