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| Chairman, Northern Governors’ Forum, Dr. Muazu Babangida Aliyu |
The North on Thursday
began move for the 2015 general elections, saying that it would join
forces with other section of the country to realise its goal.
The Arewa Consultative
Forum, which made this known in Kaduna after its meeting, said part of
the strategy was to bring everybody in the region together regardless of
ethnic or religious affinities.
The Northern governors
had in May, this year through their Chairman and Governor of Niger
State, Dr. Mua’azu Babangida Aliyu said the region would form a
formidable force despite their different political leanings and go into
the 2015 presidency.
Re-echoing the position
of the governors, the pan-Northern socio-political organisation at the
end the joint meeting of its National Executive Council and the Board of
Trustees said it had begun strategising for the 2015.
The forum noted that
2015 was still far and would not want to distract governance but would
welcome any strategy that will put the region in a vantage position to
enable it to negotiate with other sections of the country ahead of the
2015 poll.
The forum, in a
communiqué signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Anthony Sani,
on Thursday said to realise this, members had resolved to ensure that
calm returns to the troubled region.
The ACF added that its
priority at the moment was to bring unity and peaceful coexistence among
northerners in particular and the nation at large.
According to the group,
for the desired peace to reign in the region, “ACF must deliberately
enlist the support of all stakeholders such as governors, local
government chairmen, the legislators, traditional rulers and religious
leaders as well as political leaders of political parties for the
express purpose of implementing those aspects of the recommendations
that are within the purview of their executive authority and sphere of
influence.”
The communiqué added,
“The emergency meeting was called to receive and consider the road map
for peace, Unity and development of Northern Nigeria. The road map is an
outcome of the resolutions of the Arewa Conference on peace and unity
held on the 5th and 6th December,2011,which were stepped down into the
executive summary for implementation by stakeholders. The submission was
done by former Inspector General of police, Alhaji Ibrahim Ahmadu
Coomassie, the Sardaunan Katsina.
“While the forum
supports any political strategies that would put the North in a position
which will enable it to negotiate with other sections of the country
from a position of strength and secure some favourable terms, it was the
considered view of the forum that it is too early to start full fledged
political activities for 2015.This is because such early start is
capable of detracting from the task of governance at our collective
peril.”
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