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Some Southern, Middle Belt Leaders.

Southern and Middle Belt leaders today, Wednesday 4, 2020 at an emergency meeting described the outcome of the recent meeting of Northern Governors, Emirs, chiefs, and Arewa leaders as ‘irresponsible, insensitive, and total subversion of Nigeria’s unity.

The leaders in a communiqué at the meeting held in Abuja called for the restructuring of Nigeria before the next election in 2023.

Denouncing the meeting of the Northern leaders in topmost positions in the regime of President Muhammadu Buhari, the Southern and Middle Belt leaders wondered where the country would be headed if they decided also to “call a meeting with our Governors and top officials in the Federal Government. “WE do not see any responsibility displayed by those who have been serially accused of sectionalising our national government to allow such in sensibility , insensitivity and total subversion of the unity of the country that only exists on the lips of those behind the meeting,” the communiqué stated.

See text of communiqué below.

An emergency meeting of Southern and Middle Belt Leaders was held today in Abuja on some urgent business of national importance, the central one being the meeting of NORTHERN STATES Governors with Northern states Emirs and Chiefs and Arewa leaders in topmost positions in the current regime.

The following communique was issued:

1. The meeting coming aftermath of the #EndSARS protest when we should be putting heads together nationally to seek solutions to our problems is most distractive, divisive and made Nigeria widely scattered as against the “indivisibility ‘ and other non-sequitors that were regurgitated at the end of it
Where would this country be heading to if we also decide to call our own meeting with our Governors and top officials in the Federal Government? We do not see any responsibility displayed by those who have been serially accused of sectionalising our national government to allow such in sensibility , insensitivity and total subversion of the unity of the country that only exists on the lips of those behind the meeting .
It not also lost on us that the communique of the meeting was making space for National Executive Council nominations to a sectional initiative as the utmost level of disregard to the rest of the country whom they are treating as serfs when we are supposed to be joint and equal stakeholders in project Nigeria.

2. Meeting wondered the quality of humanity of any group meeting at this period of mournings not to have a word of compassion for those that were recklessly murdered by state forces and hired thugs during the protests.

3. We reject the indecent approach to paste the peaceful protesters in dark colours. They made their demands clear and were orderly before the violent Nigerian state deployed armed soldiers and thugs in 911 lorries against them.
It is wickedness to place “our power” above every other national interest by playing the “regime change” label on the peaceful protesters who were not armed like Boko Haram that the regime is chasing about with negotiations in the same spirit it has been cuddling and pampering killer herdsmen.

4. We do not see the thoughtfulness in the celebration of Northern youth not participating in #EndSARS protests as if they did not also loot like their deprived young people in other areas of the country which shows they are suffering the same thing. But instead of treating leprosy, our counterparts are dealing with eczema.

5 We foresaw all that is happening now, which is why we have been calling for restructuring as a multi – ethnic country like Nigeria can only be run along federal lines. We were not oblivious of the damage the military did to this country by using fiat to create LGAs with headquarters in the villages of top shots mostly from the North.

6. Kano State today has 44 Local Governments and Bayelsa has 8. When you want to recruit 10 policemen per LGA, Bayelsa will have 80 and Kano 440. That affects where the materials to be drawn into SARS and others are drawn.
The inequalities multiply everywhere. And this is why we insist on restructuring of the country now before we go for any national election.

7. We make it abundantly clear to our colleagues from the core North that yesterday ended last night and NEVER AGAIN shall this country be run the same old way. No section of the country can play any supremacist role again as if the rest of us are fools.
8. It is either we live together as equals under the same rules of engagement or we explore other options as dignified human beings.

9. We deeply mourn with all families who lost dear ones in the crisis we just went through and pray to God to comfort them. May those who wantonly destroyed lives pay grievously for their deeds.
SIGNED:
Chief Ayo Adebanjo
Chief E. K. Clark
Chief John Nwodo
Senator Kofoworola Akerele-Buknor
AVM Idongesit Nkanga
Senator Femi Okunrounmu
Chief Broderick Bozimo
Mr Solomon Asemota (SAN)
Senator Bassey Henshaw
Chief Guy Ikokwu
Dr Chukwuemeka Ezeife
Air Commodore Dan Suleiman
Bar Chuks Muomah SAN
BAR Mike Ahamba SAN
Prof GG Darah
Chief T.K.O. Okorotie
Mr Yinka Odumakin
Oba Oladipo Olaitan
Chief Supo Sonibare
Chief Demola Folarin
Dr Akin Fapohunda
Mr Madu Bright O Allwell
Bar Chuks Achi-Okpaga
Chief Alex Ogbonnia
Dr Pogu Bitrus
Dr S D Gani
Elder Stephen Bangoji
Hon Jonathan Asake
Mr Chris Aba
Barr Mark Jacob
Barr Festus Nyiwo