The
North picked up the gauntlet yesterday and declared it is now poised
for the restructuring of Nigeria in the face of what it called
identified threats confronting the region.
The
region’s who is who in politics, academia and media at a meeting in
Abuja expressed hope that the lopsidedness in the polity “will be a key
issue.”
The
Coalition of Concerned Northerners meeting came against the background
of the call for the review of the present revenue sharing formula by the
governors of the 19 northern states; the recent agitation by South West
governors and other stakeholders for Sovereign National Conference
(SNC); and the state of insecurity in the country.
Chairman
of the Northern Governors Forum,Alhaji Babangida Aliyu, speaking at the
inauguration of the Advisory Council of Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial
Foundation in Abuja on Thursday, described as unfair a situation where
his state (Niger) would be receiving a monthly allocation of between
N4.2 billion and N4.5 billion while some others would be getting about
20 times of that; a veiled reference to the 13 per cent derivation paid
to oil producing states.
This, he said, was responsible for the wide gap in development between the North and the South.
He
was echoing a statement made by the Central Bank Governor, Mallam
Lamido Sanusi last month, in an interview with the Financial Times of
London.
Sanusi,
in the interview, linked the prevailing poverty in the North and the
violence being perpetrated by the Boko Haram sect to uneven distribution
of the nation’s wealth.
In
a communique at the end of yesterday’s meeting, the Northern leaders,
among whom were two serving governors, a former Senate President, a
former deputy Senate president and a former Secretary to the Government
of the Federation, expressed concern over the activities of Boko Haram,
the Movement for the Emancipation of Niger Delta (MEND) and the Movement
for the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB).
The
communique reads: “A coalition of Northern politicians, academics,
professionals and businessmen met yesterday (Thursday) at Asokoro in
Abuja to deliberate on matters of serious concern to the Northern States
of Nigeria and their peoples.
“In
the course of the meting, the Northern Group reflected on the
deteriorating security situation in the region, particularly with
regards to the growth and spread of attacks and impunity by the Boko
Haram insurgents and other ethnic and religious militias in the North.
‘’In
addition, the meeting dwelled on the threats posed by the resurgent
activities of Movement for the Emancipation of Niger Delta (MEND), other
Niger Delta militant groups, Movement for the Sovereign State of Biafra
(MASSOB). In addition, the meeting dwelled on the threats and recent
calls by groups for a Sovereign National Conference.
“The
meeting reflected on the elements that bond the Northerners and their
cultures together, irrespective of ethnicity and religion over many
years at their association, and expressed their sadness that the basis
of unity of the region has of recent come under a serious assault. The
meeting noted the positive fallouts of the recent nationwide strike, in
the course of which the ordinary people of the North and of the rest of
the country manifested a refreshing desire to support and protect one
another against the clear evidence of orchestrated designs to polarise
and keep the people apart.
“The
meeting also received the shocking details of the several excesses of
the JTF (Joint Task Force) which amounted to no less than gross human
rights abuses. The meeting expressed the view that the threat posed by
Boko Haram insurgency could best be attended to without the attendant
attacks on individual rights and on businesses.
“The
meeting resolved to support the calls for the restructuring of the
Nigerian Federation in the hope that the lopsidedness in the structure
of the nation’s politics and economy will be a key agenda issue.
“It
then called on the Northern Governors’ Forum (NGF) to liaise with other
stakeholders in the North, such as the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF),
Northern Union (NU), Jama’atul Nasirl Islam (JNI), Christian Association
of Nigeria (CAN), women, youth and student bodies and other groups to
join hands together to tackle the identified threats confronting the
region.
“Among
those who attended the meeting were the governors of Niger and Jigawa
states, Dr. Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu, OON, CON and Alhaji Sule Lamido,
CON; the convener of the meeting, Dr. Junaidu Muhammed; a former Senate
President, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu; a former Deputy Senate President, Dr. John
Wash-Pam, CON; former Secretary to the Government of the Federation,
Alhaji Yayale Ahmed, CFR; former ministers, such as, Dr. Shettima
Mustapha, Alhaji Adamu Maina Waziri and Mallam Lawal Batagarawa; and a
former Chairman of the Presidential Advisory Council, Prof. Nur Alkali.
“Others
were a former Chairman of Langtang South Local Government Council, Mr.
Solomon Dalung; former Presidential Legal Advisers, Ibrahim Ismail and
Prof. Awwal Yadudu; as well as newspaper publishers, including Sam
Nda-Isaiah and Mohammed Haruna.
The
rest included university vice chancellors, Prof. Abubakar Rasheed,
Prof. Risqua Arabu; businessmen such as the Chairman of Mainstreet Bank,
Alhaji Falalu Bello; a former Chairman of the Revenue Mobilisation and
Fiscal Commission, Engr. Hamman Tukur; a former Solicitor-General of the
Federation, Prof. Ignatius Ayua; Prof. David Iyornem; Alhaji Dahiru
Mohammed and two former managing directors of New Nigeria Newspapers.
“Others
included the first female editor of New Nigeria, Mrs. Bilkisu Bintube;
another female editor from Trust Newspapers, Mrs. Aisha Kabiru Yusuf;
Dr. Bashir Kurfi of Ahmadu Bello University, (ABU, Zaria) and Timaus
Mathias, a veteran journalist.
“Also
present were Mr. David Garnva, former President of the Nigerian
Institute of Quantity Surveyors, Mallam Abba Gana, former Deputy
Director of Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG), Alhaji Shehu Kaikai,
Sanusi Abubakar, Garba Shehu, Mr. Simon Gunkat, Mallam Adamu Yakubu,
Barr. Zannah Mustapaha, Mallam Sambo Ingawa, Kalli Ghazali, Abubakar
Michika and Prof. Abubakar Mustapha.
It was signed by Second Republic member of the House of Representatives,Dr. Junaid Muhammed, the convener.
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