•••TASKS FG, NATIONAL ASSEMBLY, FOR REQUISITE LEGISLATIVE INSTRUMENT
The Southern and Middle Belt Leaders’ Forum (SMBLF) on Saturday in Abuja, called for State Police in the internal Security Architecture of the Federation.
The group made the call at the end of its extraordinary meeting, where it raised critical issues of the State of the nation.
According to them, the Federal Government and the National Assembly, should ensure the requisite legislative instrument are put in place in handling the high-level of insecurity in the country rather than indulging in meaningless lamentations.
The meeting which was chaired by the National Leader of SMBLF & Elder Statesman, Chief Dr. Edwin Kiagbodo Clark, had in attendance Elders and Leaders from the Southern and Middle Belt regions of Nigeria, who represented the different apex socio-cultural Organisations.
In a communiqué by Chief (Dr.) Edwin Kiagbodo Clark, Leader SMBLF/PANDEF,
Chief Ayo Adebanjo, Leader, Afenifere, Dr. Pogu Bitrus, President-General, Middle Belt Forum and Ambassador Okey Emuchay,
Secretary-General, Ohaneze Ndigbo Worldwide for the President-General, the group reinterated it’s earlier statement on zoning, and other critical issues.
The meeting which was well attended by the stakeholders and leaders of the social-cultural respective branches, extensively discussed critical issues of national concern.
It also discussed the State of the Nation and worsening insecurity, the outcome of the Presidential Primaries of the Political Parties, the prolonged ASUU strike, continuous Voters Registration and INEC’s preparation for the 2023 General elections.
At the end of the one-day meeting, the group resolved to state as follows:
“That the state of insecurity in the country is worsening by the day, with devastating impacts on the welfare and livelihood of ordinary Nigerians, thus, calls on the Federal government to take urgent steps to stem the tide and assuage the suffering of Nigerians;
“Forum denounces the spate of targeted terrorist attacks on Churches and abduction of Church leaders, in the country;
“In this connection, condemns, in strongest terms, the daring attack on St. Francis Catholic Church, Owo, Ondo State on June 5 by gunmen, killing no fewer than 40 people and injuring many other worshippers; describes as worrisome the hasty and doubtful conclusion by the Federal Government that the dastardly act was carried out by the Islamic State of West Africa Province, ISWAP;” the Communique reads.
The group, without mincing words, condenmed in totality the serial attacks and killings going on the middle belt region of the country.
“We condemn the incessant killings of the indigenous peoples and decimation of Communities in the Middle Belt Region, in particular, the current escalated war on Southern Kaduna, targeting Communities and Churches in Kajuru Local Government Area of the State, with reports of helicopters dropping weapons and supplies to the terrorists in their locations;
“SMBLF equally decried the continued confinement of victims of the Kaduna Train attack in the terrorists’ labyrinth after 89 days as well as several other Nigerians who have been held by terrorists and criminals for months; calls on the Federal Government and security agencies to secure the safe release of all victims;
“Warns that the ambiguity of the Federal Government and the failure of the security agencies to decisively deal with these situations, buttress concerns that officials of the Federal Government and security agents are complicit in the security anomalies in the country;
“Warns that the continuous abdication of the Government’s primary and abiding constitutional responsibility of safeguarding the lives and properties of its citizens, is an irresistible signal to Nigerians to exercise their inalienable rights of self-defence, by all means, in deviance of extant laws, which have not deterred terrorists the use of weapons even superior to those of the security agencies;” It stated in it’s communiqué.
The organisation reiterated the “imperative of State Police in the internal Security Architecture of the Federation and urges the Federal Government and the National Assembly, to ensure the requisite legislative instrument in this regard rather than indulging in meaningless lamentations.”
On the issue of the protracted industrial action by the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, the group tasked the Federal government to end the imbroglio.
“SMBLF expresses great concern over the continuous closure of Nigerian public universities due to the prolonged strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and urges both the Federal Government and ASUU to take all necessary steps to urgently bring this situation to an end and let the students return to their lectures, in the interest of the nation’s future and development.”
On the outcome of the presidential primaries of the political parties, the group frowned at the parties that violated the principles of zoning in the polity.
“SMBLF firmly reiterates its stance on the principle of zoning and power rotation between the North and the South, as the fulcrum on which the Nigerian Federation has, since independence, been premised;
“Accordingly, commends the political parties, which in line with the need for national cohesion, equity, fairness and justice, have nominated their presidential candidates from the South, particularly, the All Progressives Congress (APC), African Action Congress (AAC), African Democratic Congress (ADC), All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Labour Party (LP), People’s Redemption Party(PRP), Social Democratic Party (SDP), and others;
“Further deplores the insensitivity of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and other political parties, including Action Alliance (AA), Action Democratic Party (ADP), Allied People’s Movement (APM), New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) and Young Progressive Party (YPP), in nominating Presidential candidates from the North for the 2023 election, in total disregard of the time-honoured principle of rotation;
“Commits to, in due course, engage with the appropriate Presidential candidates and afterwards decide on which of the candidates to recommend to the peoples of Southern Nigeria, the Middle Belt region and indeed, all Nigerians of goodwill, for consideration at the polls in 2023.
SMBLF also asked the youth to make sure they obtain their PVC and be ready to excercise their fundamental rights.
“Forum notes the current upsurge in youth voter registration and implores all young Nigerians who have attained the age of voting to go out in their numbers to exercise their constitutional right;
“However, condemns the haphazard manner in which the ongoing continuous voter registration exercise is being conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in parts of the country; calls for proper management of the process and even distribution of the Voter Enrolment Devices across the country, to ensure that all eligible Nigerians, in all locations, are registered to vote;
“Cautions the INEC, given certain disturbing reports, to abjure unwholesome practices that would distort the credibility of the 2023 general elections, particularly, in its application of technology through the Bimodal Voters Accreditation System (BVAS) and transmission of election results.
The group expressed appreciation to its National Leaders and Elders for their continuous commitment to the peace and unity of Nigeria, and the consolidation of democracy, equity, fairness and justice in the country.