Skip to main content

North Produced 10 Nigerian Leaders, Yet Remains Without Development – Ohanaeze Lambasts Northern Governors

September 28, 2021

This was contained in the statement by Ohanaeze issued by its spokesman, Alex Ogbonnia, made available to SaharaReporters on Tuesday.

Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has revealed that Nigeria’s future is bleak if the resolution of the Northern Governors’ Forum (NGF) to retain power in the North in 2023 is anything to go by.

Ohanaeze also stated that the Northern region of the country should have been “the Netherlands of Africa that if Presidency is a panacea to people’s problems” owing to the fact that most of the past leaders came from the region, and there was nothing to write home about the North.

Image

This was contained in the statement by Ohanaeze issued by its spokesman, Alex Ogbonnia, made available to SaharaReporters on Tuesday.

The statement read, “The attention of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide has been drawn to a part of the resolution by the Northern States Governors’ Forum with Northern States Emirs and Chiefs held on Monday, September 27, 2021, at the Council Chamber, Sir Kashim Ibrahim House, Kaduna.

“The remarks by the leaders of the North indicate a bleak future for Nigeria. It is most regrettable that the North are 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 Igbo group highlighted Nigerian problems among which is insecurity in the North and berated the Northern stakeholders for plotting to retain power when it is expected of them to proffer solutions to these deficiencies.

The statement continued, “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 solution to Nigerian problems were busy strategising on how to retain power in 2023. This is most unconscionable, to say the least.

“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.

‘It is most worrisome that the Sultan of Sokoto, Alh. Muhammadu Sa'ad Abubakar, CFR, the spiritual leader of the Nigerian Muslims, one of the most respected Sultans in the recent history and the living conscience of the North, took part in such subversion.

For the avoidance of doubt, there is peace in the 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 Alh. Abubakar Rimi, also of blessed memory spoke for the North. It was agreed that after Gen. Abdulsalam 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 over to the North in the person of Musa Yar’Adua. Again, Goodluck Jonathan, a Southerner, respected the gentleman agreement and handed 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.”

Topics
Politics