Some Northern leaders, Tuesday, rejected the implementation of the 2014 report of the National Conference convoked by former President Goodluck Jonathan, saying that it did not address the key issues affecting them.
In its place, the northern leaders are asking President Muhammadu Buhari to convene a fresh conference that would take into cognisance the challenges facing them and proffer solutions to them.
The northern leaders who are mostly former political office holders under the aegis of Northern Reawakening Forum (NRF) and headed by a former member of the House of Representatives, Mohammed Kumalia, said it would be wrong for Buhari to implement the report of the conference called by the former leader.
The group, which met in Abuja on Tuesday, issued a strong view on the last conference, and asked for the dumping of the report in the interest of Nigeria.
Kumalia, who read the communiqué on behalf of the NRF, said: “The last conference was convened by the PDP government. You do not expect this government to take hook, line and sinker what was put in place by the last government. It was convoked by the PDP government and unfortunately, the PDP lost election. You do not expect the opposition to accept the resolution of the previous government which has its own objectives which this government is not aware of.”
Paradoxically, the chairman of the NRF, Kumalia and other members of the forum, participated actively the 2014 National Conference, whose outcome they are now distancing themselves from.
Specifically, they are calling for a new conference that would focus on how to rebuild the North and cater for those who have been displaced by terrorists, who have been attacking the North East for years. “What are the problems in the North East? Has anybody tried to ascertain the problems in the North East? The essence of the national conference is to analyse the extent of damage done to the North East. The working document would be used to rebuild the region. There is no resemblance between the conference we are proposing and the 2014 National Conference. Many things have been destroyed and we need people with experience to discuss how the area will be settled,” he said.
“The North has the highest number of people below $2.00 a day. 71.5% of the population in the North East live in poverty and more than half are malnourished. A 2013 World Bank Report showed that poverty in 16 out of the 19 Northern states have doubled since 1980. The north has the lowest literacy rate in the country. Lagos is at 92% , Kano 49% and Borno less than 15%. 65% of Northern girls and 53% of boys are not in school compared to only 20% for the Southeast,” Kumalia pointed out in the communiqué.
Meanwhile, Pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, said it was not disturbed by the rejection saying it wishes the Northern leaders the best.
Afenifere’s National Publicity Secretary, Mr Yinka Odumakin said: “Those of us who are pushing for the restructuring of Nigeria were trying to save Nigeria from the terminal crisis. If they think they can sustain Nigeria as it is, on what basis is that? Nobody is begging that Nigeria should be restructured any more, what will restructure Nigeria is already here. We wish them the best and see how all this goes. It does not come as a surprise to us, we are not worried at all.”
However, Chief Godwin Uwazuruike, President of Aka-Ikenga, the Igbo intellectual group, who was a delegate at the national conference poohed poohed the Kumalia group saying they are not speaking for the North but themselves.
His words: ‘’They are not speaking for the North or northern leaders. They are speaking for themselves. At the national conference we had a similar incident where some people came and addressed a press conference.
However, 24 hours later, a lot of delegates from the North-Central and North-West came out to reject the view and restated their agreement with the confab. How can you reject an amicable solution worked out by the confab to address the problems of the country? It is superfluous for anybody to claim to be speaking for the whole North. The majority of the North want the report of the confab implemented.’’
On his part, National President of the Arewa Youths Consultative Forum, Alhaji Yerima Shettima described the action as deceitful.
Shettima said: “They (northern leaders) must take responsibility because in the first place, some of us were against the conference. Why did they participate in the conference when they know they will reject the recommendations of the report? They cannot attend the conference at the expense of taxpayers and thereafter distance themselves from the conference? I see that as deceit, they must take responsibility.” Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
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useless people,you were there in the confab and there was a concrete agreement, what is it that you idiots didn't like on the agreed confab ?? Why are you fools afraid of mentioning it here ?? It is just a matter of time,everybody will just go his separate ways.
ReplyDeleteWhen have you seen the north agree with a progressive agenda for Nigeria? Enemies of progress even from before independence.
ReplyDeleteI only blame the cowards known as Yorubas
ReplyDeleteI'm sure you do not know the meaning of the word coward. You expect your tribe to say something and the Yorubas to follow after you because you are of superior bloodline ba? Idiot!
DeleteAnonymous 7.13am....no need hating...
Deletethe interest of dumping the confab is for their selfish interest and that will benefit on goin northern agender...,Beside this,there is no concrete reason behind the dumping.
ReplyDeleteBuhari should jail these clowns. Same behavior that caused a civil war in the late sixties. You agree and then turn around to say a different thing then claim it is the view of the North.
ReplyDeleteThe Nigerian project (North/South amalgamation) is a farce. No amount of confab will conjoin us for another two decades at most. Mark my words.
ReplyDeleteLol... Funny guys. They can't event sit and construct a genuine reason for the report to be dumped, and they think they can faction a solution for Nigerian problem. All they are giving as excuse is the north-east, forgetting that the north-east is just a part of the country. Other part also hv it's problems. Statements like“The last conference was convened by the PDP government. You do not expect this government to take hook, line and sinker what was put in place by the last government." sounds stupid to me. They are not even considering the huge sum put into that confab. Most every party that comes into power organise a fresh confab? I think they are only looking for another means to get cheap money since they have finished the last one they made. Thank God we hv a more reasonable president who is with integrity and definitely won't listen to sentimental ppl like them.
ReplyDeleteconfab or no confab in one Nigeria we stand.Aburi we stand,;cowards'
ReplyDeleteIdiot..which one Nigeria and which Stupid aburi ??? Always afraid when you disintegration but it will happen one day
DeleteIn fact these guys are myopic retrogressive selfish destroyers! I tell you, with this kind of Northern attitude, the best solution to Nigeria problem is DISINTEGRATION. And it won't be long Nigeria MUST disintegrate someday if this Northern destructive comment should continue.
ReplyDeleteI see no reason why this so called Northern this, Northern that will not leave Nigeria alone. From time immemorial, the North never embraced education. Rather they procreate battalion of almajeris, blindfold them with religious sentiments, train them to fight and starve them. What has the Nigerian Government done in other Geo-Political Zones that enabled education that was not done for the North-East? When a man, a peasant framer can take up four wives and produce over 30 children. What magic will he do to send all of them to school? The Dangotes, Dantatas, Danjumas, Atikus, and the likes have all it will take to fix the North without disturbing the Federal Government. They have benefited from the Federal Government that they ought to settle their people. Whatever name they come with, they should live PMB alone to do his things. Shikinah!!!
ReplyDeleteYou complain that the north is poor, yet you get a bulk of revenue allocation, especially the Local Government allocations and your leaders have over the years embezzled all your funds instead of spending same on educating the youths. Don't blame Nigeria, blame your leaders. My state of Ogun receives one of the smallest allocations, but we put the little we get into good use.
ReplyDeleteStupid set of people that doesn't contribute anything to the way forward of the country,the only thing we get from them is set back and terrorism...This country must disintegrate,its only a matter of time.
ReplyDeleteI tell you the truth. The Northerners believe they own the Government and with the way Nigerian is divided they are aided. from sokoto to maiduguri. and again as said they need money. But come to think of it were they not part of the Confab? They are fond of wasting resources because they dont work for it. If separation will bring peace and make things work why not do it in a peaceful way and lets go our ways. Life is only once and we should all we have to do to have peace and not regret been a Nigerian. GOD BLESS NIGERIA.......skinnnn
ReplyDelete