Chairman of the Northern States Governors’ Forum (NSGF) and governor of Niger State Dr Muazu Babangida Aliyu yesterday said his colleagues in the 19 northern states were in support of the national dialogue proposed by President Goodluck Jonathan.
He maintained that the north was not afraid of talking with other Nigerians at a national forum and pledged that the region would be adequately represented at the event.
Aliyu, who was the special guest of honour at the commissioning of Kaduna-based Liberty Radio station, added that the north would not go to the national conference to agitate for the disintegration of Nigeria but to contribute its quota to issues that would enhance the development of the region.
The governor stated that if Niger Republic and Chad which were rated among the poorest countries in the world recently could rise to discover oil, which is now sold in some northern states, the north would survive on its own.
“God is a just God. If oil could be discovered in Niger Republic, Chad and Cameroun, then, there is no reason why there would not be oil in Niger, Sokoto, Maiduguri and Bauchi states,” he stated. “If you go to Niger State, 80 per cent of our land mass is arable land. So, even if we decide to go back to agriculture alone, we will not only be able to feed our nation, but also have enough for export. That notwithstanding, the Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation is organising a committee on behalf of northern governors to look at some of the issues that may come up for discussion. I believe each state shall set up similar committees so that we can adopt some positions that may guide our delegates.”
The governor said he was pleased with the position of Liberty Radio to strengthen democracy and ensure good governance by avoiding selfish political, economic, tribal, religious or divisive interests.
Also yesterday, a stalwart of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and president of the Civil Right Congress (CRC), Malam Shehu Sani, has described the proposed national conference as a waste of time and resources, and vowed that when the APC takes over power in 2015, the report would be thrown away.
He said the confab is a calculated attempt by President Jonathan to divert the attention of Nigerians from addressing the country’s pressing needs.
In a goodwill message he delivered at the commissioning of Liberty Radio in Kaduna and at a symposium on “The future of the broadcast industry in northern Nigeria - A post-centenary outlook,” Sani averred that democracy is not a gift from the military but a product of the struggle and sacrifice of Nigerians.
He said: “In 2015, when we set up an APC government, we will throw away the report of the national dialogue because it will be of no effect; it will not add anything to the well-being of Nigerians.”
In Nasarawa State, the major ethnic groups have given an affirmative nod to the proposed national dialogue, saying it is an avenue for the federating units in the country to air their grievances and suggest “ways of defining our concept and practice of true federalism”.
The national president of Eggon Cultural Development Association, the largest ethnic group in the state, Mr Chris Mamman, applauded the initiative of the president and questioned why some Nigerians are averse to it.
He said: “We the Eggon people are supportive of the idea because it will avail all of us to understand ourselves better rather than resorting to violent avenues of settling our differences”.
A prominent politician and member of the Keffi Emirate Council, Alhaji Abubakar Gada Mohammed, Dan Galadiman Keffi, said the issue at stake is not about the divisibility or otherwise of the country but about getting to understand the basis of the union as a common entity.
The immediate past secretary to the Taraba State government and a leader of the Mambillas in Sadurna local government area, Ambassador Emmanuel Njiwa, said that his people would participate in the conference because the decision of the president to hold it is a good one.
Njiwa added that Jonathan meant well for the country, noting that the conference is about how to move Nigeria forward.
Mr Jonvita James from the Mumuye ethnic group cautioned against boycott of the dialogue. He said that he will participate fully since the conference would serve as a way of tackling Nigeria’s problems.
The chief press secretary to the acting governor, Mr Kefas Sule, said the state would send a delegate to participate in the confab.
In Adamawa State, an elder statesman and former federal permanent secretary, Alhaji Ahmed Joda, also expressed support for the exercise, saying that it is a good opportunity for ethnic nationalities to ventilate their position on how the country should coexist even though he said efforts must be made to make it all-inclusive.
The secretary to the PDP faction loyal to Governor Murtala Nyako, Mr PP Elisha, said his faction is not comfortable with the conference because there is no assurance that the deliberations reached will be respected: “Over time, Jonathan’s administration has shown a lot of disregard for decisions reached, and in my humble opinion, he will still disrespect whatever decision reached at the conference.”
The chairman of the faction loyal to the governor, Alhaji Minjiyawa Umar Kugama, said the intention of the president might have been borne out of goodwill but questioned the genuineness of the exercise.
In a chat with the Sulbawa, Habe, and Turankawa ethnic nationalities in Sokoto State, LEADERSHIP Sunday gathered that the state was opposed to the confab.
They maintained that they would not participate in such pre-determined national confab. Alhaji Biliyaminu Gatawa said Nigerians would be doomed if they accept to attend Jonathan’s remote-controlled conference.
A businessman from the Gobirawa axis, Alhaji Bello Basakwacce, said that the conference would simply be a failure like most of the policies of the past and present Nigerian leaders.
Basakwacce said President Jonathan should be reminded of countries like Yugoslavia, Sudan and Congo which tried with national confab and ended up being split.
A senior official of the state government said Sokoto might not send delegates to the conference because its terms of reference had nothing to do with the legion of problems facing the country.
The Katsina State chairman of Coalition of New Nigeria (CNN), an umbrella body of opposition political parties in the state, Alhaji Ibrahim Maidabino, dismissed the planned conference as a ruse, insisting that it was politically-motivated.
“This is a diversionary tactic by the president and his cabal, but we are all ready for him and he has to leave by 2015,” he said. “Nigerians should avoid this conference so that we will have one Nigeria and move forward.”
A PDP chieftain in the state, Alhaji Ali Sani, joined the fray of those critical of the conference. Sani, who is a member of the PDP elder’s committee in the state, said the conference was not healthy for the nation, insisting that if it must hold, the National Assembly should be disbanded.
The state chairman of Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, a socio-cultural organisation of the Fulanis, Alhaji Hassan Kuraye, said it was a welcome development and declared that the group would participate in it. “We have got to a stage that we need to sit down and discuss the challenges confronting us. As the leader of this association in Katsina State, I can tell you without mincing words that we will participate in the confab because it will provide us the opportunity to say what our grievances are.”

http://leadership.ng/news/131013/confab-north-won-t-seek-nigeria-s-break-gov-aliyu

Ok

This frogged eye liar keeps talking from both sides of his mouth.

Just last week he was out declaring that the north will be ok since they have found oyel in their backyard now he is preaching unity.

This is how the id1ot kept defending and at the same time condemning boko haram.

f00lish aboki

one nigeria ma nyash north better start praticing farm.......no one nigeria again.

LoL...the northerners say when they get power back in 2015 they wud throw away the reports of the conference and continue with the current system,,,this reminds me of Aburi accord, after d conference in Ghana,they cam to Nigeria and went back to there word without implementing it...lol'''northerners u guys want to fufill d US prediction on Nigeria's breakup... God u re so good,let's see how strong d northerners wud be,when the US occupies Nigeria and divides it for us.

D drama is about to commence
We full ground dey watch
2014, to make up d 100yrs of d amalgamation is around d corner- n nyash** don dey pepper som ppl.

GOD please make dis splitting a successful one dis soonest....IJN Amen.


No more one naija.

I think the northerners are just realising the gravity of what they have been doing. killing innocent civilians in the name of fighting GEJ does not make any sense. I pray the country divides then we from the north would know what we have benefiting and realise that we cant stand without the south.

GEJ is truely in charge, see as him dey bamboozle them up and down wit terrible dribblin skills, he don give dem sometin to occupy their minds and mouth untill 2015 wen he go score anoda goal! Lwkm

It is laziness that makes d north thinks of Oil anytime there is a mention of DISINTEGRATION.

The people opposing the confab are the real persons and group who dnt like the truth and the peace of the nation cos they are at benefit more than others and unfortunately these are the same people that will put everything in place to make sure that the purpose for the conference wouldnt succeed at the end. What a miscarriage Nigerians. God punish Satan. In Confeb we stand.

2015 no go easy at all... If u know u re a southerner in the north, if u knw wats good for u,leave d north during dat election period, be it Nysc corper, christain,business man, just leave d north,,,d moment d results re called and GEJ wins,,,after one month go back''' a word is enuf for the wise.

Craze dey worry them?
Why dem go want break up before, when they have institutionalized cheating.
Old Kano state didn't have half of Lagos population, but as soon as it was split into Kano and Jigawa, suddenly, Jigawa and Kano is twice as populated as Lagos and have 3 times more LGAs each.

Of course they won't ask for a break up because the cheating structure was created and enjoyed by them.

In Niger Delta Republic we trust.

This country shud be broken into 36 units

As for Baba Aliyu, dont worry they "oyel " yu claim to have or expected to see will jus be handful which will not last yu peeps in 2 yrs. keep dreaming and beleiving in vain. 'oyel' indeed.


long live naija delta
long live south south
long live naija

Sour grapes

SMH, NLanders and double standard..
Its clear that you want the abokis to go.
On the other hand, you don't want them to discover their own oyel.....

At this point, its crystal clear that some peeps will have a heart attack the moment they hear

"oil deposit discovered in boko republic in comm. Quantity"

Aedes_muskeeto: SMH, NLanders and double standard..
Its clear that you want the abokis to go.
On the other hand, you don't want them to discover their own oyel.....

At this point, its crystal clear that some peeps will have a heart attack the moment they hear

"oil deposit discovered in boko republic in comm. Quantity"

let them have all the oil in the world if that is what will let them be on their own.

Aedes_muskeeto: SMH, NLanders and double standard..
Its clear that you want the abokis to go.
On the other hand, you don't want them to discover their own oyel.....

At this point, its crystal clear that some peeps will have a heart attack the moment they hear

"oil deposit discovered in boko republic in comm. Quantity"

If they like let them discover GOLD in commercial quantity in every state in d north,,, its der business...what's d use of having a particular group of ppl dat want u to pay rent,yet they don't want u to use d house u re paying for,,,even if they allow u use it,they wud tell u dz is my own house and dat is urs, I am free to enter urs but if u try enter mine I wud chop off ur head, wats d use of having such ppl when u knw dat if u ppl re watching cartoons and d character mistakenly says sth abt der Allah,instead of attacking the creator they Attack u...FOOLS HUMANS AND WILD ANIMALS CANT STAY IN THE SAME PLACE,,, D PLACE OF WILD ANIMALS. IS IN THE BUSH.

We can never let northerners suffer like that yorubas are behind them...

is kwara and kogi part of north.. answer is no. pressmen who dont know anything..

many boko haram plenty in nigeria

western nigeria parliament

musiwa15: is kwara and kogi part of north.. answer is no. pressmen who dont know anything..

many boko haram plenty in nigeria

western nigeria parliament

a satelite pix from a satelite guy.
Oga Musiwa I hail oooo

Nigeria this is a fight for your lives its a fight for justice,equality a fight against tribalism ethnicity,nepotism,religious bigotry, etc,you all know the truth and the people that benefit from the present structre that don't want things to change they want things to remain the same where favouritism and godfatherism is the norm ,nigerian you know the truth i don't care if you are from the north ,east,west,south you must have suffered from one form of injustice or the other because of the present structure on ground except you are one of the cabal,let's talk about justice and equality ,no more religion and state of origin in our day to day affairs if we are nigerians and who tries to mention it should be persecuted immediately it has caused more harm than good it has divided us more than it united us its a fight for our future and our kids don't be blinded by ethnicity and religion it can't benefit us if we can't work this out then i would subscribe to division the country.

Everywhere in the world….villages, towns, hamlets, cities, people groups are asking for autonomy to enable them take charge of their affairs and develop at their own pace. For instance Bosnia Herzegovina has a population of less than 4million but today they are a country of people governing themselves and making progress in various areas of human endeavor.

To the best of my knowledge all Northern Muslim Hausa-Fulani States claim a population of over 4million each. Yet they are very scared and very unwilling to agree to the restructuring of Nigeria so that each geo-political zone can take care of its affairs and develop at their own pace.

Just mention the word Sovereign National Conference and you will find these Governors, the Emirs, the Sultan, the Arewa Consultative Forum, and the Northern Elders Forum - all of them shivering like dogs with their tails between their legs.

Instead of making it an issue and a strive for power to return to the Northern Muslim Hausa-Fulani in 2015 ….. the Northern Muslim Hausa-Fulani should be asking for the restructuring of Nigeria in a way that enables them to enjoy autonomy and develop at their own pace with one of their own (preferably Buhari or Sule Lamido) as their leader. That way the power they are clamoring for will remain with them forever ….. in their geo-political zone, from their geo-political zone and for their geo-political zone. ...... makes more sense than the entire "New PDP", PDM & APC crisis.

jking001: Nigeria this is a fight for your lives its a fight for justice,equality a fight against tribalism ethnicity,nepotism,religious bigotry, etc,you all know the truth and the people that benefit from the present structre that don't want things to change they want things to remain the same where favouritism and godfatherism is the norm ,nigerian you know the truth i don't care if you are from the north ,east,west,south you must have suffered from one form of injustice or the other because of the present structure on ground except you are one of the cabal,let's talk about justice and equality ,no more religion and state of origin in our day to day affairs if we are nigerians and who tries to mention it should be persecuted immediately it has caused more harm than good it has divided us more than it united us its a fight for our future and our kids don't be blinded by ethnicity and religion it can't benefit us if we can't work this out then i would subscribe to division the country.

[size=20pt]
Babangida Aliyu have not said anything surprising.

I don't expect a PARASITE or deadly cancer to voluntarily ask to be separated from the host.

Afterall, it contributes NOTHING, but cheats the host of the lion share of the nourishment!

Does that sound typical of Northerners? [/size]

You are a dimwit for that statement, tell me what are southerners producing that northerners are parasitizing on? Tell me how many southerners are actually involved in the production of this so called oil - deposited beneath the soil through an act of God in southern regions, yes how are southerners responsible for the presence of this oil, did they plant it there?

The problem with southerners is their greed, sheer unbridled greed and selfishness; and it is what will consume them in the end.

True, the vast majority of Nigeria's oil is found in the SE, well just watch how they'll implode through in-fighting because of greed for the same oil, resource control would reach a new dimension - up to village level.
The Ogonis would want to be on their own and not be dominated by the Ijaws (Jonathan & co, who are bringing this issue up just to cling to power), militancy and bunkering would be the order of the day, their leaders would be half baked fools like Dokubo, Tompolo etc who have amassed enough wealth to run their own private militias to rule by force or continue bunkering, ordinary citizens would still not be better off.
Same scenario would also afflict the SS who would not only be in-fighting but also having their eyes on their neighbours vast superior oil wealth.

BTW, the north already has oil, but for now would fight bitterly to preserve one Nigeria until all the awoof southern oil is finished; then north would be ready to separate in order to develop its own oil for itself.

Me_Aboki: You are a dimwit for that statement, tell me what are southerners producing that northerners are parasitizing on? Tell me how many southerners are actually involved in the production of this so called oil - deposited beneath the soil through an act of God in southern regions, yes how are southerners responsible for the presence of this oil, did they plant it there?

The problem with southerners is their greed, sheer unbridled greed and selfishness; and it is what will consume them in the end.

True, the vast majority of Nigeria's oil is found in the SE, well just watch how they'll implode through in-fighting because of greed for the same oil, resource control would reach a new dimension - up to village level.
The Ogonis would want to be on their own and not be dominated by the Ijaws (Jonathan & co, who are bringing this issue up just to cling to power), militancy and bunkering would be the order of the day, their leaders would be half baked fools like Dokubo, Tompolo etc who have amassed enough wealth to run their own private militias to rule by force or continue bunkering, ordinary citizens would still not be better off.
Same scenario would also afflict the SS who would not only be in-fighting but also having their eyes on their neighbours vast superior oil wealth.

BTW, the north already has oil, but for now would fight bitterly to preserve one Nigeria until all the awoof southern oil is finished; then north would be ready to separate in order to develop its own oil for itself.

Mr. Aboki please go and sleep

hardniola: one nigeria ma nyash north better start praticing farm.......no one nigeria again.

Nobody is going anywhere. This marriage is binding. In sickness and in health till death do you part

Beaf!:

Nobody is going anywhere. This marriage is binding. In sickness and in health till death do you part

Are you not proud of yourself?