The Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF has accused President Goodluck Jonathan of deliberately ignoring the need to explore the deposit of oil in the Northern region of the country.
The accusation was contained was contained in a communiqué issued and signed at the end of the meeting by the publicity secretary of the forum, Anthony Sani, after its National Executive Council and Board of Trustees meetings today in Kaduna.
The pro-North body warned the federal government not to attempt to stop public debate on the controversial derivation dichotomy.Part of the communique reads: “The meeting regretted that oil exploration proceeds at snail speed in Northern Nigeria. In view of recent discoveries of crude oil in areas of similar geological character with Northern Nigeria, the meeting reiterates its call on federal government to expedite action on oil exploration and let the oil flow from all corners of the federation
“The meetings went over the debates brought about by the efforts to review the Constitution, to amend some Acts of the National Assembly and the revenue sharing formular. The meetings also noted the concern expressed by the presidency that further discussions of certain issues should stop. It was the considered view of the meetings that, given the fact that progress comes from change through robust debates, and the fact that democracy is a contest of ideas and reasons, the debates should continue provided it is conducted with decorum and sense of patriotism.
“The meetings considered the festering security challenges posed by the untoward activities of Boko Haram and ethno-religious crises in some states of the North. It also discused the insecurity caused by the spate of kidnappings and communal clashes across the South-East, those posed by widespread armed robberies in South-West as well as militant activism and oil bunkering in South-South. The meetings also considered the efforts of the federal and state governments that are directed at addressing the security challenges. The meetings agreed that the endorsement of dialogues by the federal government was praiseworthy. Also appreciated were the efforts of Northern state governors in setting up the panel to help find lasting solution to the prevailing security challenges and enjoined the people to support the governments action. The meetings urged members of the Boko Haram to embrace the offer of dialogue by laying down their arms. Enough is enough.
“ However, the meetings deplored the tendency of some Nigerians to call into question the settled issue of our co-existence as one united country. The meetings considered expressions of ethnic nationalism as manifested by recent declaration of autonomy and hoisting of flags and anthems by some groups as unhelpful. This is because actions which promote cleavages along ethnic and religious lines are unlikely to inspire national solidarity that must go with our relative pluralism.
“It is against such backdrop that the meetings praised the actions of some religious leaders who took it upon themselves to promote tolerance and accommodation between faiths through interdenominational breaking of fast as hoisted by Archbishop John Onaiyekan at Abuja Archbishop, Kaigama in Jos and many others who stood guard at places of worship while members of opposite religion prayed. The meetings therefore called on all religious, political as well as community leaders to follow suit for collective good.
“The meetings expressed concern with the current state of affairs in the New Nigerian Development Company, NNDC, and urged Northern state governments to look into it.”
The accusation was contained was contained in a communiqué issued and signed at the end of the meeting by the publicity secretary of the forum, Anthony Sani, after its National Executive Council and Board of Trustees meetings today in Kaduna.
The pro-North body warned the federal government not to attempt to stop public debate on the controversial derivation dichotomy.Part of the communique reads: “The meeting regretted that oil exploration proceeds at snail speed in Northern Nigeria. In view of recent discoveries of crude oil in areas of similar geological character with Northern Nigeria, the meeting reiterates its call on federal government to expedite action on oil exploration and let the oil flow from all corners of the federation
“The meetings considered the festering security challenges posed by the untoward activities of Boko Haram and ethno-religious crises in some states of the North. It also discused the insecurity caused by the spate of kidnappings and communal clashes across the South-East, those posed by widespread armed robberies in South-West as well as militant activism and oil bunkering in South-South. The meetings also considered the efforts of the federal and state governments that are directed at addressing the security challenges. The meetings agreed that the endorsement of dialogues by the federal government was praiseworthy. Also appreciated were the efforts of Northern state governors in setting up the panel to help find lasting solution to the prevailing security challenges and enjoined the people to support the governments action. The meetings urged members of the Boko Haram to embrace the offer of dialogue by laying down their arms. Enough is enough.
“ However, the meetings deplored the tendency of some Nigerians to call into question the settled issue of our co-existence as one united country. The meetings considered expressions of ethnic nationalism as manifested by recent declaration of autonomy and hoisting of flags and anthems by some groups as unhelpful. This is because actions which promote cleavages along ethnic and religious lines are unlikely to inspire national solidarity that must go with our relative pluralism.
“It is against such backdrop that the meetings praised the actions of some religious leaders who took it upon themselves to promote tolerance and accommodation between faiths through interdenominational breaking of fast as hoisted by Archbishop John Onaiyekan at Abuja Archbishop, Kaigama in Jos and many others who stood guard at places of worship while members of opposite religion prayed. The meetings therefore called on all religious, political as well as community leaders to follow suit for collective good.
“The meetings expressed concern with the current state of affairs in the New Nigerian Development Company, NNDC, and urged Northern state governments to look into it.”
ACF claims, saying the North will survive without South
ACF Anthony Adamu
The Arewa Consultative Forum has voiced out over calls for a national Conference that may initiate Nigeria’s ethnic border divide, saying that the North is not afraid of a broken Nigeria.
A top echelon of the forum, speaking during an interview with Nigeria’s Leadership Newspaper advised that Nigeria as a nation has gone too far to initiate such move,saying if it is initiated, the North will never be afraid.
It has been suggested in certain quarters and mostly opined that the north being disadvantaged due to certain biological factors could be at survival risk.
Against this backdrop of insinuations that the Northern region is scared, especially owing to non availability of oil in the region, the apex body on Thursday asserted that the region was not afraid of any breakup and that its insistence against the call for Sovereign National Conference is on the premium that the agitation for the conference amounts to vote of no confidence on the country’s nascent democracy.
The ACF’s spokesman, Anthony Sani, stated: “Anybody believing that the North is afraid of breakup is just deceiving himself.
He snapped:”Afraid of what? We are not the only country that has no oil, we can survive without oil, but we believe that the inter-dependence of Nigerians, the mass size of Nigeria, has some advantages.
“If you want to divide country, along which line, is it religious line? Where would the Middle Belt go? Is it along ethnic line, are we going to have 350 countries? So, lets not even think along that line, they are just trying to divide the people”.
“In the final analyses, the North has no fear, it is not a question of fear, it is a question of our inter-dependent. We should not be considering a divorce, but should be working on how to improve.
“It is incorrect for anybody to think that the North is afraid of division; the issue is on interdependency of Nigeria having more advantage.
“Nobody should look at it as if we are afraid, are we the only country without fuel, Japan does not have oil, so many don’t have and they are surviving, are we the only country without oil? Are we going to die if they divide the country?” he queried
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