Former Governor of Jigawa State and founding member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr Sule Lamido, has raised an alarm over the escalating diplomatic tension between Nigeria and the United States (US).
Lamido described the threat of military action reportedly issued by US President Donald Trump as "ominous" and potentially catastrophic.
In a statement issued on Saturday, he urged Nigerians across political, religious, and ethnic divides to rise above partisanship and stand together in defence of the nation’s sovereignty, warning that the situation demands unity and sober reflection, not political rancour.
"The threat of war on Nigeria from President Trump of the United States of America, under whatever guise, is very ominous. The consequences of such action cannot be imagined," Lamido cautioned.
He called on President Bola Tinubu to set aside personal pride and urgently summon all past presidents and heads of state for a closed-door meeting to craft a collective national strategy.
"President Tinubu must swallow his pride and invite all our past leaders for a closed-door meeting to discuss and find a way around this dangerous development," Lamido appealed.
The former governor suggested that Nigeria’s former leaders should discreetly engage Washington and President Trump through diplomatic back channels, rather than through media statements, in order to defuse tensions and address the root causes of the misunderstanding.
Lamido warned that time was of the essence, stressing that "unity, wisdom, and diplomacy must prevail over division and pride" at this critical juncture.
His comments follow a series of strong reactions from Nigerian leaders after President Trump reportedly threatened to send the US military into Nigeria with "guns-a-blazing" if the country fails to stop what he described as the killing of Christians by Islamists.
The tension heightened after the US government on Friday redesignated Nigeria as a "country of particular concern," a move that prompted outrage from several quarters in Abuja.
Also weighing in, former Kano State Governor and leader of the Kwankwasiyya Movement, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, urged the United States to offer assistance to Nigeria in tackling insecurity rather than issuing threats.
Kwankwaso, in a statement shared on X (formerly Twitter) on Sunday, said:
"I have noted with increasing concern the heightened pronouncements on Nigeria by President Donald Trump. It is important to emphasise that our country is a sovereign nation whose people face different threats from outlaws across the country. The insecurity we face does not distinguish based on religious, ethnic, or political beliefs."
He called on Washington to support Nigeria with cutting-edge technology and intelligence-sharing to combat insecurity, warning that any military confrontation could further divide the country.
Kwankwaso also advised the Federal Government to appoint permanent ambassadors and special envoys to engage the US and other world powers, adding that this was the time for national unity, not fear or blame.
"To my fellow countrymen, this is an important moment where we should emphasise unity of belonging over division," he added.
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