Hard knocks have continued raining on Northern Governors for rejecting their Southern colleagues’ call for power shift in 2023 and resisting Value Added Tax (VAT) collection by states.
In shooting down the Northern Governors Forum (NGF)’s position, the apex Igbo Socio-cultural Organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, said; “The remarks by the leaders of the North indicate a bleak future for Nigeria”, especially coming at a time they should be seeking solutions to Nigeria’s mounting challenges rather than busy themsleves with retaining power in 2023
According to Ohanaeze; “It is most regrettable that the North is undisturbed that Nigeria is fast collapsing under its leadership”, adding that it is unfortunate the Northern governors have “failed to recognize that at the moment, Nigeria is confronted with the most precarious omens full of uncertainty, doubts, insecurity, and bloodshed.”
Ohanaeze, while evoking memories of the gentleman’s power-rotation deal between northern and southern leaders in 1998, maintained that the North has had its fair share and should be grateful to the South for their “large heart, equanimity, and sportsmanship.”
A statement by Ohanaeze’s National Publicity Secretary, Chief Chiedozie Alex Ogbonnia, further said; “Let it be made abundantly clear that if Presidency is a panacea to people’s problems, the North would have become the Netherlands of Africa. This is because the North had Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, Yakubu Gowon, Murtala Mohammed, Shehu Shagari, Muhammadu Buhari, Ibrahim Babangida, Sani Abacha, Abdulsalam Abubakar, Musa Yaradua, Muhammadu Buhari, yet the problems of the North are on the increase.”
The statement read in part: “The remarks by the leaders of the North indicate a bleak future for Nigeria. It is most regrettable that the North is undisturbed that Nigeria is fast collapsing under its leadership. The Forum failed to recognize that at the moment, Nigeria is confronted with the most precarious omens full of uncertainty, doubts, insecurity, and bloodshed.
“The Chairman of the Northern States Governors Forum, Governor Simon Lalong can attest that the people of Plateau State had never in history witnessed the number of deaths as has taken place under his watch as governor. The banditry in Zamfara, Katsina, Kaduna, and Jigawa States is terrifying. Benue State has turned into a killing field. The states of Yobe and Borno are worst hit by the menace of Boko Haram; etc. Several schools in the North could not open because of kidnappers and millions of children are on the street as beggars. The Nigerian currency has lost its value. Unemployment has skyrocketed, and Nigeria has become the poverty capital of the world…..and the Northern Governors, the Sultan, and the emirs instead of seeking solutions to Nigerian problems were busy strategizing on how to retain power in 2023. This is most unconscionable, to say the least.
“It is most worrisome that the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar, CFR, the spiritual leader of Nigerian Muslims, one of the most respected Sultans in recent history and the living conscience of the North, took part in such subversion. For the avoidance of doubt, there is peace in progressive societies because men of conscience are more in number. On the other hand, the crises in Nigeria are a product of greed, injustice, religion without sacrifice and impunity.
“The position of the Southern Governors is simply restating the obvious. A gentleman agreement was reached at the NUC Conference Centre, Abuja in 1998 between the North and the South. The late Dr. Chuba Okadigbo spoke for the entire South and Alhaji Abubakar Rimi, also of blessed memory spoke for the North. It was agreed that after General Abdulsalami Abubakar as the Head of State, that the presidency should shift to the South. That accounted for the emergence of the presidential flag bearers of the mainstream political parties from the South-West. Chief Olusegun Obasanjo respected the agreement and handed it over to the North in the person of Musa Yar’Adua. Again, Goodluck Jonathan, a Southerner, respected the gentleman agreement and handed it over to the North in the person of President Muhammadu Buhari.
“Therefore, the least that is expected from the North is a show of profound gratitude to the entire South for their large heart, equanimity, and sportsmanship. Furthermore, it is in the interest of every Nigerian that there should be a paradigm shift to governance techniques. Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide unequivocally stands with the 17 Southern Governors and any black leg among them will incur the wrath of history.
MBF Accuses Govs of promoting Nigeria’s break-up
Towing the same hardline position against the Northern governors, the Middle Belt Forum (MBF) chided them for actions that seem to be engineering Nigeria’s break-up, describing their clamour to retain the presidency beyond 2023 as incomprehensible in the face of six years of woeful performance by a Northern president.
Insisting that the Middle Belt people are no longer comfortable with being classified as part of the North, the MBF said the presidency must shift to Middle Belt or Southern zone come 2023, warning that anything short of that is ‘unacceptable’.
A statement by the MBF’s National President, Dr. Bitrus Pogu, slammed the Northern governors for throwing decorum to the winds and pursuing a selfish agenda that could capsize the ship of the Nigerian State, warning that the zone should not be allowed to retain the presidency after 2023.
The MBF said; “It is not only immoral but also dubious on the part of these governors who have proven incapable of combating the activities of criminals in their various states to now insist that power rotation is not in line with our nation’s constitution.”
The MBF statement said; “The attention of the Middle Belt Forum (MBF) has been drawn to the statement credited to the Northern Governors’ Forum and Traditional Rulers on Monday that it was totally opposed to power rotation on account of the fact that the Nigerian constitution does not provide for it.
“Resorting to the constitutional provisions as the basis for rejecting power shift, the Northern Governors and Traditional Rulers are simply being clever by half as they are only attempting to hide behind a finger.
“Lest we forget, the reason behind the zoning arrangement that emphasized the need for power rotation between the North and South is to avail all zones a sense of belonging in providing leadership in the country.
“As the umbrella body of all ethnic nationalities in the Middle Belt Region, we are surprised that it is now that the NGF whose members are beneficiaries of power rotation are kicking against power shift to the South.
“We are shocked that instead of harping on the bloodshed ripping across the country, the governors and traditional rulers of the so-called North are concerned with which of the zones takes over power in 2023.
“It is not only immoral but also dubious on the part of these governors who have proven incapable of combating the activities of criminals in their various states to now insist that power rotation is not in line with our nation’s constitution.
“As the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the MBF resolved in Akwanga, Nasarawa State, we called for power rotation among three regions of the North, Middle Belt and South. We deplore a situation where the Middle Belt Region is completely excluded from the power-sharing arrangement.
“We have been consistent in insisting that for equity and justice to hold sway, power rotation is irrevocable. We have called and demanded that the 2023 Presidency be zoned to the Middle Belt. In the event that such demand is unrealizable, all ethnic nationalities of the Middle Belt Region are resolved to support any presidential candidate from the South.
“It’s sad that the Northern Elders’ Forum has turned itself into a forerunner of this treacherous plot against power rotation which has stabilized the political situation and given various parts of the country a sense of belonging.
“We find it strange that the North under whose leadership Nigeria has continued to perform woefully should even contemplate the idea of retaining power in 2023. Over six years of Northern leadership has brought Nigerians to a catastrophe that is unprecedented. Not only have the prospects for a bright tomorrow retarded, insecurity, unemployment, and other societal vices have taken their toll on national life.
“As a Forum, we find it incomprehensible to understand the basis upon which the North is clamouring for power retention. By 2023, the North should have forfeited all moral rights to retain power in line with the zoning arrangement of political parties.
“The best the present administration of President Muhammadu Buhari should do now is to prepare the ground for the conduct of transparent polls that would either usher in a presidency to be headed by a Middle Belter or Southerner. Anything short of that is unacceptable to the Middle Belt peoples.”
You’re Hypocrites — PANDEF Tells NGF
Not holding back their anger in the raging war of words, the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) described the Northern governors’ position to power shift to the South in 2023 as most ‘ridiculous and hypocritical’.
PANDEF’s National Publicity Secretary, Ken Robinson, said given that the South supported President Muhammadu Buhari to be president in 2015 and 2019, the NGF’s objection to rotation and power shift is not only selfish but also quite annoying.
According to Robinson; “The Northern governors’ opposition to power shift to the South is most ridiculous, cowardly, and irresponsible. Their opinion on the issue of the Southern Presidency is preposterous and parochial; they enjoyed massive support from the South for President Buhari to attain power.
“It exposes them as hypocrites and cowards. That is what they are and they should be told clearly. No sane person would say power should not rotate after eight years of a northern presidency. Buhari was supported by Southern Nigeria to become President.
“Anybody, no matter how highly or lowly placed, that says that there should be no power rotation in 2023 does not love Nigeria. Those people do not want Nigeria to progress and to be united; they do not want peace in Nigeria.
“Let it be known to the Northern governors and indeed the Northern community that there can be no peace without justice, and saying that there should be no power rotation is an act of injustice against southern Nigeria.”
Reacting to the Value Added Tax (VAT) collection debate, Robinson said; “On VAT, PANDEF wholly supports the position of Rivers, Lagos, and the Southern governors that States should collect VAT.”
Afenifere Laments NGF’s Insincerity
Also, reacting to the Northern Governors’ Forum (NGF)’s comments, the pan-Yoruba socio-political organization, Afenifere, described it as demonstrating their insincerity and selfishness.
National Publicity Secretary of Afenifere, Comrade Jare Ajayi, said: “As far back as February 2020, Governor Nasir el-Rufai of Kaduna State said openly that there was nothing wrong in the presidency returning to the South in 2023.
“In July 2021, he not only reiterated this position but also said that fairness and justice demand that the southern part of the country should produce the president in 2023. Five other governors from the same northern zone supported el-Rufai’s position on this matter. They were Professor Zulum of Borno State, Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State, Governor Bello Masari of Katsina State, Governor Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State, and Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State.”
Noting that “This much was attested to by the Chairman of the Northern Governors Forum, Governor Simon Lalong”, Afenifere said; “This new position by the said governors indicated that they were not sincere when they expressed their opinion earlier on.”
