North Is The Poorest: Emir Sanusi Is Young Man Who Doesn't Know History; We're Ready For Break Up - Prof Ango

The Sun - The Emir of Kano, His Royal Highness, Muhammadu Sanusi II, is not new to controversies. In fact, he often courts them with candour. As such, his recent statement that if Nigeria were to be divided, the North-east and North-west zones would be poorest globally, if they were countries, has put him at loggerheads with northern elders.

Spokesman of Northern Elders Forum (NEF), Prof. Ango Abadullahi, who reacted to the statement in a chat with Sunday Sun in Kaduna, not only faulted the Emir, but also declared that “he is a very young man that should go and read the history of Nigeria” before making certain statements about the country.

Meanwhile, some eminent Nigerians have advised leaders in the North to face the truth and work towards the development of the region instead of taking up issues with the monarch.

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The former Central Bank of Nigeria Governor (CBN) had while speaking at the Kaduna Economic and Investment Summit, with the theme “Making Kaduna Investment Destination of Choice”, last Wednesday, said the North-east and the North-west of the country were among the poorest parts of the world.

The monarch, who presented the keynote address at the event, also lambasted northern leaders for their complicity in impoverishing the region. He said:  “We are in denial. The North-west and the North-east, demographically, constitute the bulk of Nigeria’s population. But, look at human development indices, look at the number of children out of school, look at adult literacy, look at maternal mortality, look at infant mortality, look at girl-child completion rate, look at income per capita, the North-east and the North-west Nigeria, are among the poorest parts of the world.

“As far back as 2000, I looked at the numbers, Borno and Yobe states, UNDP figures… Borno and Yobe states, if they were a country on their own, were poorer than Niger, Cameroon and Chad. Nobody saw this because we were looking at Nigeria as a country that averages the oil-rich Niger Delta, the industrial and commercial-rich Lagos, the commercially viable South-east, and you have an average. Break Nigeria into its component parts and these parts of the country are among the poorest, if it were a country. And, we do not realise we are in trouble.”

Kaduna State Governor, Nasir el-Rufai, re-echoed Sanusi’s argument at the same summit last Thursday saying: “The truth of the matter is when you look at human development in the indices of Nigeria, they hide a lot of information. They saw us as middle-income country; they saw that we are making progress in terms of education and health care. But when you disaggregate this number and look at them from zone to zone, from state to state, it is very revealing. It shows for, instance, that some states in Nigeria are as backward as Afghanistan in terms of education, health care and opportunities. And many of the states in the North-west are afflicted with these challenges.”

Abdullahi, however, told Sunday Sun that the North spearheaded the development of the country ab initio and has the capacity to develop very fast if let go from Nigeria.

The former Vice Chancellor of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, who had recently declared that the North was ready for the breakup of the country, stressed that the North could still stand on its own as an independent entity as it has both the land and the population.

He explained: “With due respect to the Emir of Kano, the statement he made was misleading and misrepresentation of facts about the true state of northern Nigeria. You see, what I have been saying for a long time is that the North has advantage over other parts of the Nigeria in terms of population, proportion and resources. What I am saying is that Northern Nigeria should wake up to its challenges like others part of the Nigeria. Of course, every part of Nigeria has its peculiar challenges and problems in terms of development likewise Nigeria as whole.  I am an advocate of dividing Nigeria at the different levels and I disagree with the Emir’s position.”

“The North sustained and can still sustain this country,”Abdullahi insisted, adding: “The greatest advantage of the North over other regions is that 75 per cent of land in Nigeria comes from North; agriculture contributes 45 per cent of the GDP against oil, which contributes 14 per cent. Apart from the foreign exchange which oil provides, which in fact has always been stolen by the leaders, there is nothing much to talk about. 

Presently, there is potential of oil in many parts of Northern Nigeria. Let me tell you that oil money is idle money, which Nigeria has not worked for. The only place where there is availability of work is the North because it produces a greater percentage of the food we eat as well as those used by some of our industries. In any case, there are countries that said they are not moving forward and decided that the best thing to do was to divide. So, what is wrong in dividing the country?”

He added: “You see, the Emir of Kano is a very young man; he should go and read the history of Nigeria. He is an economist; he needs to go and do a little more research in terms of factors for economic development. North possesses all what it takes to develop faster now.”

The former adviser on food security to ex-president Olusegun Obasanjo further said: “Northern Nigeria has land, population and can generate capital. His views are his own, not that of northerners.  I believe many northerners would disagree with him. There are many documented research that northern Nigerian sustained the entire Nigeria state from 1914 up to 1974. Apparently, the Emir ignored the historical fact of this country. It cannot be contested that right from the colonial masters to the late Sardauna of Sokoto’s time, northern Nigerian supported the economic growth of this country.  The economic strength of the North was the thing that sustained the Nigeria state in the early days of its existence from 1914 to 1944. Take it from me; the budget of western and eastern Nigeria was derived from resources and revenue from Northern Nigeria earned right from colonial government, which was meant to provide resources to balance their budget. So, I don’t see the fact about poverty and under development the Emir was trying to establish in his argument. There are people living in the North-east and they are doing very well.”

Abdullahi argued that virtually every part of the country was facing challenges at the moment, the North not being an exception. “If one tells me that there has been irresponsible leadership in the North, I can accept that.  But that one is a universal problem in Nigeria today. Yes, there is the argument that Northern leaders should have done a lot for their people despite the abundant resources in their areas. In 1960 there were only two secondary schools in Northern Nigeria — Government College Keffi and Barewa College Zaria. How many do we have today? So, the problem of illiteracy was caused by some factors like the issue of quality or approach, rather than the premise that instead of building more classrooms the money was squandered.

“There is also issue of the growing number of children begging on the streets. It is true that there should be an effort in each state that will engage the youth in something to encourage them not the so-called feeding programme where a lot of money is being stolen instead of using it to build more classrooms, improve the welfare of teachers and bring more children to school.

“I support this argument but the overall problems of Nigeria today hinge on leadership. So, by the time people have their government within themselves, people would check the excess of waste. That is why we are advocating for the division of the country.

2019: Tinubu Presidential Ambition Divides Northern Leaders Unsettles Southeast; Why He Actually Backpedaled REVEALED

The Sun Newspaper - The perceived presidential ambition of a National Leader of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu is unsettling the North and already dividing its leaders. 

The former Lagos governor had last weekend in Akure, the Ondo State capital hinted that, he may contest for Nigeria’s presidency if there will be vacancy in 2019. He has since clarified the statement credited to him. The clarification notwithstanding, Northern leaders are already divided over his perceived and real intentions.

Speaking with newsmen at the inauguration of Governor Rotimi Akeredolu in Ondo State, on Friday, February 24, 2017, Tinubu said vying for any office in Nigeria is an opportunity to serve the country. He added there is nothing wrong in aspiring for the office.

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His words, “You see, there is nothing wrong with such ambition. It depends on the timing and the environment and what political leadership dictates. I will not brush aside such an aspiration.

“Resilience, determination and clarity of purpose are what one needs. Maybe, as a senator, as a president, you cannot rule it out. How can I rule such a thing out, the opportunity to serve my country, but you only do that when there is vacancy.”

North reacts

Speaking in an interview with Saturday Sun, a former Vice Chancellor, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria and member of Northern Elders Forum, Professor Ango Abdullahi, felt sorry about the development, referring to it as a surprise especially as it was coming from Tinubu, urging party members to take note and watch closely for the next few weeks.

According to him, “I’m really surprised that a leader or somebody who is called a national leader of the party in power and not only party in power but with a President on seat that is less than two years old in position of leadership, he is himself talking about his ambition in 2019. There is nothing wrong in ambition. Of course, Bola Tinubu had always had ambition. It was his ambition that made him become governor of Lagos State. So, that is alright.

“And of course, there were a lot of discussions about his purported ambition to be Buhari’s Vice President which was also in the papers. But the significance of this news item, here is a leader of a party, a national leader with his President on seat, he’s talking about the possibility of contesting election in 2019 and I don’t know whether he’s talking about the APC platform or whether he’s talking about another party.

“Whatever platform he’s talking about, I consider this totally insensitive of a leader who should show some humanity; this is a speech that is coming at a wrong time. And I can only feel sorry for Bola Tinubu if he indeed came out with such a statement. Already also, in fact he’s not worried about the party so called APC. This is for party members to take note. But their party to my mind is either dead or it’s dying. We can then wait and see what happens in the next few weeks.’’

Also, a second republic lawmaker, Junaid Muhammed though denied speaking for the North said, there was nothing wrong with credible Nigerians like Tinubu to have ambition for the highest political office in Nigeria. He added that, there is nothing criminal about it because by the provisions of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, such has nothing to do with zoning or no zoning.

According to him, ‘’As far as I am concerned, there is nothing bad about it. Tinubu’s ambition has been open for over a decade. So what he’s saying now is not new about his political activities and there is nothing criminal about it. And I think Tinubu is credible. At least, he has a party whether the party will survive or he will float another party that is what I don’t know and I don’t speak for him.”

He vehemently opposed zoning arrangement, which has now become the talking point of political actors in the country asking “If the late President Umar Yar’Adua could spend less than four years, what arrangement is there on ground that it is a must for anybody to spend eight years?”

“The constitution of Nigeria is the supreme law of the land. That constitution did not provide zoning or rotation. The constitution provides that, in the event of a sitting President being dead, incapacitated or in any way infirm, and such a person is unable to perform the duty of his office, provision has been made on how to deal with that situation by the National Assembly.

“There is concern now that we have a President who is sick out of the country. The constitution has provided for transfer of power from the sitting President to his deputy to act as President. That is happening now.

‘’Beyond that, I think it will just be mischief or opportunism to comment on the issue because we have not tried the system provided for in the constitution. It is only when we try and it fails then we can start speculating.

“But at the moment, there is system in place and it seems to be working. There is acting President for the country while the sick President is trying to recover. So saying that whoever is there must be there for eight years is non-issue because there is no provision for that in the constitution”, he added.

However, former Governor of old Kaduna State, Alhaji Abdulkadir Balarabe Musa differs on the issue. He wants zoning arrangement introduced by the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to continue for the sake of national unity and sense of belonging, suggesting that, power should rotate to Southeast after North may have spent its eight years.

As far as he is concerned, whether Tinubu or anybody else is ambitious to run for any elective office is not his problem but their own problem, suggesting that, the rotation should continue because it has benefited South-west, South-south and now North.

According to Balarabe Musa, “My concern is that Asiwaju Tinubu says he may run, it is mere speculation, but in view of his relevance in the country, he is not somebody that should be dismissed as such.  He should be seen as confusing the political situation in the country.

“This is because we now know that in Nigeria, there is this system of zoning, it is a policy of the PDP, but it is also a policy that other political parties have adopted, so even though it was originated by the PDP, it has been accepted and implemented by the other political parties and their predecessors.

“And the reason for the zoning is to give every section of Nigeria a sense of belonging, and to enable peace, progress, development and national unity.  Now why should it be jettisoned now at a very critical time, a critical time in the sense that the north has benefitted from zoning more than any other section of Nigeria, which is, zoning of the presidency in particular.

“The West has benefitted from it once, the south-south has benefitted from it once, now it is the turn of the south east which has never benefitted from it, and now there is this talk of the north continuing to finish…, I don’t know what. And in the midst of what is happening, the one person who single handedly brought about the northern presidency, that is our friend, Asiwaju Tinubu, is now saying that he wants to run before the time of his region and before the south east has it, even for the first time, it has not had it. This should be confusing the situation.

“And now that the economic situation is so bad, we never had this economic hardship in this country even during the civil war, the economic situation during the civil war was never like this as it is today.  And now this rumour is bringing about confusion and another hardship.

“I hope our friend, Tinubu has not been misquoted, but we should sound a warning before there is an attempt to make it a reality because this is how rumour becomes a reality in Nigeria.  I think we should exercise more care and caution in jettisoning this zoning system.

“And even if Tinubu’s  ambition  is rumour, I don’t think south east will be happy about it, and every Nigerian who wants peace and national unity and national development should join the south east in opposing this ambition. We should let the south east have their own turn of the presidency.

“But this is something I should say, for instance, I believe that we should zone the presidency to the south east, either in 2019 or 2023, I say either of the two because the south east themselves, I understand, are agreeing with the north. Now if south east is agreeing with the north, because they are aggrieved, and the beneficiary (north) is agreeing with them, then, there is nothing anybody can do, this is power politics.

“If they agreed, which is being rumoured, then, it means, the south east will cooperate with the north again, because this is not the first time they cooperated with one another to bring about the leadership of the country.

“If they decide, by 2019, it should be the north continuing, continuing what, I don’t know. And if they agreed that north should continue in 2019, and south east should come in 2023, we should oppose it, but under the present circumstance, even if we oppose, it is rubbish. It is just like when the north decided that the presidency should go to the south west because of what the north did to the south west over the June 12,1993 election and that was the only reason for Obasanjo’s presidency. The north decided to do this, virtually  unilaterally and if the north and south east again agreed that this should go to the south east in 2023, there is nothing we can do.

“But I think we should not do that because what does the north want that they have not had. When you look at the presidency, at least, civilian presidency, the north has had it twice, while other sections of the country have had it once each, so why is the north still wanting to have it again?

“Secondly, if you take it into account, both military and civilian presidency, the  north had always had it because look at how many military presidents came from the north. Another issue is that this time, we shouldn’t make the situation like donating the presidency to the north, donating the presidency to the south west, donating to the south south, lets the people all over the country bring  anybody from whatever region to contest, and whoever wins is the peoples choice.

“What I am saying is that let’s not make previous mistake by donating the presidency to the north, south west, south south. Let’s not make that mistake again by donating to the south east, and allow them to bring anybody. This time around, we should not do it. We should attach quality to the choice.

“Let’s make efforts as Nigerians of bringing about the emergence of the equivalent of the Zik of Africa from the south east, not just anybody from the south east, no, the equivalent of the Zik of Africa. Zik of Africa originated from Nigeria, he was the pride of Nigerians, who came from the south east. And I know when you take everything into account, late Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe behaved as a true Nigerian, and that is why people call him Zik of Africa.

“It is possible to bring about the equivalent of the Zik of Africa from the south east. I know there is the problem of the deciding role of money power in politics and election, but all the same, we can do it, we almost did the same thing with late Moshood Abiola, but the system subverted us. We can try it again, and return the Zik of Africa”.

Speaking in the same vein, a member of the National Executive Council (NEC), Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), Muhammad Alhaji Yakubu, warned that Tinubu may end up disgracing himself if he eventually makes up his mind to run for the presidency.

Yakubu advised Tinubu to remain faithful to playing godfather’s and king making roles in the nation’s politics, pointing out that the APC leader should not forget that he was the major brain behind the enthronement of President Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.

“My reaction, I mean my personal reaction, and not that of ACF, is that in a democratic race, every Nigerian, provided you meet the criteria to aspire for any elective office is allowed to contest. But as regard the national leader of APC, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, I think if the godfather himself decides to put his hat in the ring, he may demystify himself. I don’t think that will be proper. As a kingmaker, I think it will be more respected to maintain the aura of a kingmaker than to go into the presidential race.

“And another fact is that if he decides to go into the race, he may scuttle the chance of the north, though, it is an unwritten agreement in APC, but I don’t know whether they have it in their constitution, but I know that it is PDP that has it in its constitution of eight years in the south, eight years in the north.

“But one will expect that the current President is still alive, he is still on the throne, and it is too early for anyone to start contemplating succeeding him. Nobody knows who will be alive in 2019; what if the President decides to contest again in 2019, what happens? So I think it is not wise for anybody to start making this kind of permutation.

“As I told you earlier, if Tinubu decides to run for the presidency, it will amount to demystifying himself. If he decides to run against Osinbajo, his godson, and Buhari, who he brought and supported for the presidency,  all the aura, all the honour and respect bestowed on him as godfather, as kingmaker will be stripped. So Tinubu should not forget that he is the one who brought Buhari to run for the presidency, and as such he should support him either in good or bad health”.

Count me out for now – Tinubu

With the controversy media reports about his ambition generated within three days, Tinubu was left with no option but to backpedal on his earlier position, with a statement on Tuesday when he said he will never contest against President Muhammadu Buhari nor will he support anyone who does so.

In a statement released on Tuesday to react to a news report on his perceived preparations for a run for the presidency, the former Lagos State governor denied it, stating that he was not preparing to contest for the presidency in the 2019 elections.

He said the story was aimed at placing him at odds with Buhari, adding that it was baseless. According to him: “First, Tinubu is not gearing up for a presidential run. So there will not be any doubt about this core matter, we shall state Tinubu’s position clearly and unequivocally.

“As long as that patriotic and committed man named Muhammadu Buhari holds and seeks to hold the mantle as our president, then Tinubu stands behind him in unwavering support and confidence.

“Tinubu remains faithful to the mission of progressive reform and change that President Buhari, he and the All Progressives Congress (APC) members have started.

“Tinubu was instrumental in the formation and success of the APC. His toil and efforts helped establish this government. He is not one to tear down something he laboured so dutifully to build.”

The statement said the report misrepresented the mild banter Tinubu had with journalists at the inauguration of Ondo State Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu.

“When asked about future political office, Tinubu said he could not discount that possibility if the nation called upon him for such service, provided, he emphasised, that all political conditions were appropriate; particularly the office in question would have to be vacant, even if it’s local government area chairmanship.

“In our political lexicon, this means the office is not held by a member of the APC in good standing. We all know this. Moreover, if you really listen to his words, Tinubu did not mention any office or any timeframe. The conditions he mentioned may not become ripe for years to come and they might not pertain to the presidency.

“In effect, all he said was the position that any political figure would hold.

As a politician, he cannot preclude the possibility of running for office in the future because no man knows what the future will hold,” the statement added.

It further stressed that Tinubu has not held any planning meetings for any such presidential campaign and is not contemplating any such meetings. “He has no present list of possible running mates because he has no present intention of running.”

Real reason he backpedaled

Beyond the claim in the above statement, Saturday Sun gathered that the APC leader backpedalled due to enormous pressure mounted on him by prominent Northern leaders between Friday last week when he indicated interest in contesting the presidency and Tuesday this week when he eventually softened his earlier stand.

Some of those who spoke with Tinubu include a former Minister of Defence, Gen. T.Y. Danjuma and his wife, Senator Daisy Danjuma. Daisy was actually said to have visited Tinubu to convey their message to him. Gen. Danjuma is a very close friend of President Buhari. Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Engr Babachir David Lawal, who is the strongest ally of Tinubu in Buhari’s camp, also played a major role in getting the APC leader to soft pedal.

His backpedal notwithstanding, it was learnt that many Northern leaders are already worried that Tinubu’s interest may spell doom for the agenda of the North to keep the presidency for at least eight years.

2019: Disappointed Northern Elites DESSERT Buhari, Shop For Replacement; Shortlist 6, Others; See List

Disappointed by bad governance, hunger, hardship that hallmark the administration of President Muhammadu, the North has ruled out blanket support for the President if he decides to seek for a second term in 2019. 

Report according to New Telegraph suggests that top northern politicians and powerful political blocs have begun shopping for Buhari’s replacement ahead of the next general elections.

A spokesman for the Northern Elders’ Forum (NEF), Prof. Ango Abdullahi, on telephone conversation with our source newspaper, pointed out that the forum only supported the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2015 election because it fielded General Muhammadu Buhari as its presidential candidate “who happens to be a northerner.”

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Multiple sources confirmed to New Telegraph last night that different interest groups in the North have put machineries in place to get an appropriate candidate to replace Buhari in 2019.

It was further learnt that different groups from the North have sent emissaries to possible candidates, such as Atiku Abubakar, Ibrahim Dankwanbo (Gombe governor), Rabiu Kwankwaso, Sule Lamido, Ibrahim Shekarau, among others on the need to replace the president in the 2019 election.

It was gathered that among the grouse of many in the region is the mass hunger and poverty that has attended the Buhari presidency. A source with one of the presidential hopeful told New Telegraph last night that: “More than in 2015, we are receiving requests from different interest groups who are telling us that they want to work with us. I can tell you that most of the groups are from the North. Their complaints are the same – the economy.

They are telling us that there must be another change in 2019. The mood generally in the North is dampened. Buhari is not as popular as he was in 2015 now.”

An aide to another presidential hopeful simply said that the North has “donated Buhari to Nigerians who wanted change.” “In 2019, we are going to take him out of that seat for sure.

We are consulting now and trying to fix the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). If we get that right, then, we are ready to sack Buhari. At least, it is clear to Nigerians now that the man has failed. He is unelectable.”

But it was learnt that the president’s men are already plotting his reelection in 2019. Sources said Buhari’s nephew and confidant, Malam Mamman Daura; Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir David Lawal, and former SGF, Ambassador Babagana Kingibe as well as some state governors are the drivers of the president’s second term agenda. Buhari’s anchormen, including ministers, have been holding series of meetings on the president’s re-election.

“At appropriate time, we will dispel this noise of non-performance. The president has been faithful to his promises. Though we are in a challenging time,president has done well in governance,” one of the ministers told New Telegraph last night. Abdullahi, who ruled out a blind support for Buhari in case he runs for a second term, said that if other northerners indicate interest in the presidency, “we will put all the cards on the table and evaluate all the candidates and see what they have in store for the north.”

He, however, said that the north has so far been short changed by the present administration because the ministerial appointments that it got are not commensurate with the votes that APC received in the last election from the region.

The former Vice Chancellor of Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, however, said that it is rather too early to say that the north is shopping for Buhari’s replacement, “but when the time comes, we will tell our people which way to go.”

The NEF spokesman said that the forum has not met Atiku Abubakar in order to seek for its support ahead of the 2019 presidential race, adding that he has heard that the former number two citizen is said to be eyeing the presidency.

“Like everybody else, I have heard of series of meetings going on, but I have not been told by any credible source.

As for meeting with any politician towards 2019, all I will say is that nobody has met us,” he said.Like Abdullahi, former governor of Kaduna State, Alhaji Balarabe Musa, said that he heard that the north is shopping for Buhari’s replacement to field in 2019, describing the move “as a viable alternative if the north wants to retain power.”

According to him, the president is so incompetent and overwhelmed by the burden of office, “so there is no way he can succeed.” “However, the tragedy of the situation is that the north has no alternative to Buhari because money power is the deciding factor in politics and elections in this country. That is why the north can’t get the right person,” he argued.

The leader of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) dismissed Atiku as an alternative northern candidate because of his record of alleged corruption.

Musa also ruled out Governor Nasir el Rufai, arguing that he is not performing as governor of Kaduna State and so he is not qualified to be president.

“So, the north is in a kind of dilemma because, whereas Buhari has failed as president, it has no alternative to him in 2019 because of the dominance of money in politics and the fact that those who want to replace him are not credible,” he noted.

The opposition politician also ruled out the rabid support that Buhari received in the north in 2015, in case he decides to seek re-election in 2019. “Virtually every northern elite that supported him since 2003 when he first contested for the presidency, is not with him,” he said.

The former governor predicted that Buhari would lose the coming election if he decides to run for the presidency in 2019 because he is not just politically unreliable, but he will also be hampered by limited resources unless he is sponsored by foreign powers.

According to him, the level of poverty in the country and the prevailing awareness will limit the president’s access to the treasury in order to fund his campaign.

“Unless he decides to fund it with recovered looted funds, the amount which Nigerians do not know, there is nowhere he can get the kind of money to run for the presidency, after losing the goodwill that he enjoyed from the people,” Balarabe added.

Speaking in the same vein, a member of the House of Representatives in the Second Republic and a social critic, Dr. Jun-aid Mohammed, described Buhari as a monumental failure as president.

“Although I have not heard of plans to replace him and field another northerner in 2019, I will not be surprised if this happens,” he told our correspondent yesterday.

“President Buhari has been a monumental failure and the north shouldn’t support him in 2019 if it wants to retain power. Anti-corruption has always been the hallmark of northerners in government, but this government is the most corrupt in the history of Nigeria.

“All northern leaders, from Tarka to Aminu Kano and Sardauna, are not nepotistic, but the Buhari administration is the most nepotistic that has ever been since independence. “So, the north is justified culturally, politically and morally to replace Buhari in 2019 if it chooses to do so.

The north has been categorical when it wants power, it also didn’t hesitate when to let it go. And when it wanted it back, it said so categorically. Now, it must show clearly that it wants to retain power by replacing Buhari,” Mohammed said.

The Russian-trained medical doctor however said that “if Buhari decides to contest in 2019, he will be defeated, except if he rigs the election and there will be violence which may lead to the break-up of Nigeria.”

Speaking to our correspondent on condition of anonymity, a chieftain of the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) dismissed what he described as “doomsday scenario of failed politicians who cannot speak for the north.”

According to him, President Buhari is still lionized by the masses of this country, especially in the north where he commands a cult-like followership.

“Buhari’s victory in 2015 was a result of the resolve of the masses to vote for change and to keep vigil over the votes cast until results were counted and declared.

“The victory was not as a result of any elite consensus or machinations. It was a revolution of the masses and the elite just had to key into it or else they will be swept aside by the wind of change.

“Buhari’s war against corruption, whereby billions of looted funds have been recovered and the adherence to the rule of law, including the degrading of Boko Haram capabilities in the North-East, have further endeared the people to him. If elections are held today, he will win fair and square,” he added.

New Telegraph gathered that although Buhari’s handlers are trying to make incursion into the South-East, many leaders in the zone are not convinced or persuaded by the Buhari presidency.

Thus, many believe that his running battles with splinter agitator groups in the zone and the lack of reasonable appointments for the zone under his watch are good reasons not to return him again.

“The man should not even think of a second term. He should just leave after this term,” said a leader in the zone.

Buhari Has Short-changed The North - Prof. Ango Abdullahi

The spokesman of Northern Elders’ Forum (NEF), Professor Ango Abdullahi has said that the north has so far been short-changed by the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration.

Professor Abdullahi who was guest of Kaduna-based Liberty Radio Hausa programme, ‘’Bakon mu na mako’’ on Sunday noted that the north is not properly represented in the appointment of Ministers and in the distribution of capital projects in the 2016 budget.

According to him, the north voted for Buhari irrespective of party affiliations and not necessarily for the All Progressives Congress (APC), because the Jonathan administration reneged on the power shift arrangement which brought President Olusegun Obasanjo to power in 1999.

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‘’Buhari has been contesting election in the last 12 years. He contested on the platform of ANPP, contested again on the platform of CPC in 2011. In 2015, the north rallied round him because it was aggrieved over the decision of PDP to field Jonathan in spite of the obvious constitutional breach that another four year term for him would have imposed on the country.

‘’So, given the fact that northerners had resolved that power should shift to the north in 2015 and Buhari’s past record and personal integrity, the north rallied round in his support irrespective of party or religious affiliations,’’ Professor Abdullahi stated.

The NEF spokesman said that the north was not given positions in the Federal Executive Council that are commensurate with its voting strength. He pointed out that the Ministries that have direct bearing on the economy, are not in the hands of northerners, adding that the Ministry of Agriculture is the only exception.

Professor Abdullahi further said that the north only got 30% out of the capital projects that have been earmarked in the 2016 appropriation bill, adding that the North East, North West and North Central got 3%, 9% and 19% respectively.

‘’Imagine, the north east which was ravaged by Boko Haram only got 3%. In terms of recurrent expenditure which is mainly paying salaries and servicing the day-to-day running of government, the north is also short changed because as at 10 years ago, 0nly 18% of federal civil servants are northerners,’’ he said.

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'Destroy' Avengers First Before B'Haram; DIVIDE Nigeria If That'll Foster Peace, Development - Northern Elder Advises FG

Prof. Ango Abdullahi, the former Vice-Chancellor of the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, and former Adviser on Food Security to ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo, and  member of the Northern Elders Forum has called on the Federal Government to fight the Niger Delta Avengers before fighting members of the Boko Haram sect.

Abdullahi speaking on Tuesday in Abuja during the public presentation of two books:  Boko Haram: The Charade vs Reality and The Life and Times of Umaru Turakin Bauchi, written by a former Diplomatic Editor of the Voice of America and now visiting Professor in ABU, Zaria, Hadiza Wada, accused the elite of being the cause of the nation’s multifaceted challenges, Abdullahi believed that if the amalgamation of the country in1914 by Lord Lugard was a mistake, “each region should go separately.”

“You ask the question: where did Boko Haram get their sophistication and articulation from?  No doubt from external connections, but external connections can only thrive if they have internal connections in the country itself.

“But the real offence: people who ‘knew’ and should have spoken out did not do such.

“Some of us, including my teacher and I, went to see (former President Goodluck) Jonathan to discuss it. Some days later, we heard there was going to be dialogue but then two weeks later, a state of emergency was declared and Boko Haram was banned. So, the question is: who are you talking with if you have banned Boko Haram?

Abdullahi believed that the Niger Delta Avengers and Boko Haram belonged to the same camp of terrorists.”

He stated, “Yes we accepted Boko Haram for those who described them as ‘Islamist  terrorists’, fair enough; but what about economic terrorists?

“In the Niger Delta, for example, people who came out openly and said they’re avenging something and that they’re fighting to avenge something, they’re worse than what’s happening in this country; they’re worse than Boko Haram.

‘‘If you’re not going to fight Avengers, then stop fighting Boko Haram.”

Speaking on various calls for restructuring, secession or the disunity in whatever form,  the former Minister of Education and member of the Northern Elders Forum, Prof. Ango Abdullahi, said; 

“The Batures (whites) have brought us together. They tried what they could before they left in 1960 to see whether this country could become a political unity that is stable because without political stability, it is impossible to stabilise any aspect of our socio-economic development. They succeeded up to a point but they were very lucky, they found our forefathers and founding fathers, who were honest.

“Take for example, India that became independent in 1948, before one or two years, Pakistan was born and in another one or two years, Bangladesh was born out of Pakistan because there had not been sufficient basis on which India would stay together in the first place and later Pakistan would stand together as Pakistan, even though they have so much in common. Bangladesh and Pakistan are Muslim countries and so on. There are so many areas of disagreement.”

The ex-minister added, “So, this is what we have with our independence and our forefathers did so much. But our greatest challenge today is political instability, created, unfortunately, by politicians and the Nigerian elite. We are responsible for the conditions we are experiencing today and that we have experienced over the years.

“This is the basis on which we have made slow or no progress in our development.”

Abdullahi argued that the elite were in the vanguard of calling for the restructuring of the country.

He stated, “We are hearing about the restructuring of Nigeria. We’re hearing about secession; we are hearing all sorts of things(sic) and who are the promoters of this rhetoric?

“These are from elite of the country. They’re right to say their minds, but they should also leave me to say my mind when the time is right.

“If Lord Lugard made a mistake in 1914, let’s correct it now. Why not? If Nigerians cannot live together and allow peace and development to take place, then let’s go our different ways and to our different places, so we can concentrate and develop our children and grandchildren in peace.

“There’s nothing wrong with that. So many countries have gone through that before.  So, I don’t believe in all this emotion and sentiment that Nigeria is indissoluble. There’s nothing like indissolubility in any country.

“Take Britain, they’ve been a model for 1,000 years of democracy; and then, a year or two ago, Scotland, that had been in the United Kingdom for about 350 years, opted to go for a referendum to get out; same problem with Ireland. Soviet Union was only a superpower many years ago; today, 12 or 13 countries are there.

“So what is so special about Nigeria?  If we find truly that we cannot develop and guarantee the welfare of our people as a nation and the solution is to go our separate ways, why not? So you see, this is the thing we have to always discuss at all times honestly.”

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2019: Northern Leaders Express Fear Of Political Irrelevance Over Buhari's Nepotism

TheNiche - Up North, Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) is conveying an emergency meeting this week on the lopsided appointments made by President Muhammadu Buhari, amid fears by the region’s leaders of becoming irrelevant in the 2019 political cycle.

In the South East, Igbo leaders have already met in Owerri to ponder the state of the nation and the place of Ndigbo in it, concluding that the Igbo are industrious enough to survive any condition, marginalisation in Nigeria notwithstanding.

Mohammed Ibrahim, the national publicity secretary of the Northern socio-cultural organisation, told TheNiche in a telephone interview that “we are meeting this week to discuss the issue; after that, you will get our position.”

TheNiche had asked him if the ACF was not worried about the lopsided and even nepotistic appointments made by Buhari which add fuel to the secessionist fire of Niger Delta Avengers (NDA) and Independent Peoples of Biafra (IPOB).

Delegation to Buhari

The ACF meeting coincides with the decision of some Northern leaders – among them former Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Vice Chancellor, Professor Ango Abdullahi, and former Nigerian Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Yusuf Maitama Sule – to meet Buhari over his appointments which favour the Hausa/Fulani/Muslim North over the rest of the country, a source told TheNiche.

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Buhari won the 2015 election by clinching majority votes in four of the country’s six zones – North West, North East, North Central, and South West.

But his narrow minded appointments, the Northern leaders noted, could cost the North the support of the Christian North Central and South West in 2019, since the core North lacks the constitutional spread and number to win a presidential vote alone.

Heads of military, paramilitary agencies

There is outcry over Buhari’s appointments, especially as they affect the security architecture of the country. Critics say they disregard the federal character principle in the Constitution, as well as ethnic and religious considerations.

Only three officers – Chief of Defence Staff, General Gabriel Olonisakin; Chief of Naval Staff, Rear Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe; and Chief of Defence Intelligence, Air Vice Marshal Monday Morgan – are Christians in the security apparatus, in a country split nearly 50/50 in Christian/Muslim composition.

All the following are Muslims:

• National Security Adviser, Babagana Monguno.
• Interior Minister, Abdulrahman Dambazau.
• Defence Minister, Mansur Dan-Ali.
• Chief of Army Staff, General Tukur Buratai.
• Chief of Air Staff, Abubakar Sadique.
• Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris (whose appointment two weeks ago led to the compulsory retirement of 21 assistant inspectors general and deputy inspectors general of police who were his seniors).
• Department of State Security Director General, Lawan Daura.
• Nigeria Immigration Service Comptroller General, Muhammed Babandede.
• Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps Commandant General, Abdullahi Muhammadu.
• Nigeria Customs Service Controller General, Hameed Ali.
• Nigeria Prisons Service Controller General, Ahmed Ja’afaru.
• Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Chairman, Ibrahim Magu.
• All the 15 military and paramilitary heads are from the North, except Olonisakin (Ekiti) and Ekwe (Cross River).
• Buhari has also appointed several relatives in key positions in the seat of power in the Villa, reported by TheNiche on June 26.

Getting the message to Buhari

Northern leaders said Buhari cannot justify these appointments on the grounds that former President Goodluck Jonathan allegedly did something similar between 2010 and 2015.

They noted that Jonathan only favoured some of his Ijaw kinsmen, in the sharing of some juicy positions, not the entire South. And that, in any case, two wrongs cannot make a right.

In the history of Nigeria, no leader has made the sort of lopsided appointments Buhari has made, the Northern leaders noted.

The dilemma among Northern leaders, TheNiche learnt, is how to convey the message to him – formally under the umbrella of Northern leaders, or privately.

The leaders are wary that Buhari may snub them if they approach him privately in Katsina to discuss the sensitive subject.

The majority feel they should pay him a courtesy visit as a group in the Villa and make their position known.

Ohanaeze unites against repressive policies

In Owerri, Igbo Unity Forum held a meeting jointly organised by Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha, and Ohanaeze Ndigbo led by Gary Enwo-Igariwey which appeared to mark the end of Igbo leadership crisis.

The event was well attended by people of different political and ideological persuasions, who deliberated on the prospects and challenges of Nigeria.

Participants described the forum as the first of its kind in past five years.

The perceived place of the Igbo in Nigeria may have triggered speeches of hope to the younger generation.

Professor Anya O. Anya captured the mood when he said there is no regret about 2015 general election.

He said the voting pattern nationwide was a statement in itself, meaning that Nigeria is overdue for restructuring.

He declared that the Igbo can achieve greatness in the same way China and Israel did, but warned that the Igbo must be committed to the development of Igboland.

Abia State Governor, Okezie Ikpeazu, commended Okorocha for ensuring a new beginning in the life of new Ohanaeze and said the Igbo in the Nigerian project cannot be declared missing in action.

Others who spoke included Okorocha; Ikpeazu; Ebitu Ukiwe; Alison Madueke; former Governor of old Anambra State, Jim Nwobodo; and former Anambra State Governor, Chukwuemeka Ezeife.

They also included Nigeria’s former Ambassador to Israel and the United States, George Obiozor; retired Colonel and civil war veteran, Joe Achuzie; business mongul, Pascal Dozie; and Enugu State Deputy Governor, Cecilia Ezilo.

Igbo can go it alone, Ukiwe reiterates

Ukiwe said: “If there is any group that can make a change in Nigeria, it is the Igbo group. We are not begging the issue and cannot be intimidated by anybody or group of persons and we should be ready to confront difficulties before us as Igbo.

“If the people of Israel can successfully live independently and survived the storms, the Igbo can also do it.”

Obiozor described Nigeria as a nation in the state of despair, stressing that countries are run with ideas, but Nigeria as it is today is not the case.

Ezilo and Dozie had the same view that “Igbo destiny is in their hands”.

Okorocha added that “Igbo shall rise to its rightful position in Nigeria and elsewhere. Igbo will have enough in the future and donate to other nations when the time comes.

“Igbo are not beggars, rather they are distinguished people both in character and in words. We are the only privileged people in this part of the world.

“I was wondering what I will tell my son at old age; should I tell my son that as an Igbo man Ndigbo were marginalised?

“Igbo never received federal appointments and may never receive federal infrastructure, and it all ended that I complained, protested, and my son will ask me after that what next?

“Should I tell my son that when I didn’t get what the Igbo wanted I used arms to protest and he will also ask again, daddy after that, what happened?

“Let’s sing a new song different from the songs of war and stop the spirit of complaint and look beyond the ordinary.”

Anambra State Ohanaeze president told TheNiche in an interview that “if I was allowed to speak concerning the repressive government of Nigeria against Igbo, I would have told our people that we are in a battle field and we need to win the war.

“We are not comfortable in Nigeria and it is a war we must win. We are not against anybody, but against repressive policies against Igbo.”