The north is no longer opposed to a break-up of Nigeria.
The leader of the Northern Consensus Initiative, Dr. Awal Abdullahi said this on Monday in Abuja at a dialogue session titled, “The Nigeria’s 2023 Presidential Transition Inter-ethnic Peace Dialogue”.
The meeting was also attended by Afenifere (South West), Ohaneze (South East), Middle Belt and Southern Kaduna Peoples Union (SOKAPU).
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Abdullahi said the North is ready for the separtion of the country.
“The North before now was saying we don’t believe in separation but as I’m standing, I’m telling you that if there is going to be separation tomorrow, the North is ready for it, we are also ready, lets go our different ways and I am telling you this with all sincerity.
“Northern Nigeria before now did not want to hear anything separation but as at today, as I speak to you, the North is equally ready. What I am saying might be controversial but I am speaking the mind of Northerners and I have no apology to anyone in this hall, although I respect the leaders and elders here but I have no apology to anybody on what I say.”
However, reacting, the President of the Middle Belt Forum(MBF), Mr. Pogu Bitrus, said that the Middle Belt will not pull out of the country with the core north.
He said, “So, if my brother says the North is going, be sure the middle-belt is not going with you, you are on your own. We have served and sacrificed for this country. The war that occurred, the middle-belt was used to fight while the North sat back to enjoy.”
Bitrus said that the Middle Belt has adopted the proposal of Afenifere and Ohaneze as a common position that will rescue the country.
Also speaking, a former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Umar Ghali Na’abah observed that the leadership of the country is not serving the people properly.
“We have weak and irresponsible leadership in the country. We need to talk as one Nigeria and not people from the North or from the South,” Na’abah, who is also the chairman of the National Consultative Forum(NCF) said.
He said there are too many things going wrong in the country which call for restructuring, adding that, everybody will suffer if the country bus dismembered.
Also, a former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani Kayode said, what the country needs now is restructuring to address the many ills in the country.
