Northern elders and political leaders have thrown their weight behind mounting calls for the restructuring of Nigeria to address the lopsidedness in the nation’s politics and economy.
Many individuals and groups in the country have lately renewed their agitation for the convocation of a sovereign national conference to address perceived injustice as well as the economic and political backwardness of some of the regions in the country.
But the majority of the members of the National Assembly, particularly those from the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, have flayed the call for the conference, saying that it is unnecessary since a democratic regime is already in place.
But the different interest groups in the north, including politicians, businessmen and academics, who met in Abuja yesterday under the aegis of Coalition of Concerned Northerners, hinted that they would support restructuring of the country with the hope that lopsidedness in the nation’s politics and economy? would be at the front burner of the discussions.
The coalition reviewed the deteriorating security situation in the north, particularly the growth and spread of the Boko Haram sect and other ethnic and religious militias in the north. It also examined and expressed concern over the renewed insurgence being posed to the nation by the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, MEND, and the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB.
After examining the operations of the Joint Task Force- a coalition of military and security men deployed in the north’s hot-spots the coalition frowned on the operations of the security men, saying that they amounted to gross abuse of human rights.
“The meeting expressed the view that the threat posed by Boko Haram insurgency could be attended to without the attendant attacks on individual rights and businesses,” a communiqué signed by the convener of the meeting, Dr. Junaid Muhammad, said.
The northern elders also noted with sadness that the bond of unity that once kept the north together had come lately under serious assault and called for a change in that direction.
They however noted the positive outcome of the recent nationwide strike, during which the ordinary people from the north and other parts of the country spoke with one voice despite orchestrated designs by unnamed persons to polarize the nation.
The meeting called on the Northern Governors’ Forum to liaise with other stakeholders in the north such as the Arewa Consultative Forum, the Northern Union,? 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 and Alhaji Sule Lamido, the convener of the meeting, Dr. Junaidu Muhammed; a former Senate president, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu; a former deputy Senate president, Dr. John Wash-Pam, former Secretary to the government of the federation, Alhaji Yayale Ahmed, former ministers such as Dr. Shettima Mustapha, Alhaji Adamu Maina Waziri and Malam 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 and Prof. Risqua Arabu Sokoto.
Read the full communique on page 12.