The Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation has said the North must not dismiss the calls for restructuring as the country is at a crossroads where many issues threatening its continued existence must be appropriately addressed.
The group expressed concern about increased spread of hate speeches especially among the youths on different social media platforms, saying the situation is dangerous for the country.
The Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation said this on Monday when it paid a courtesy visit to the Governor of Narasawa State, Tanko Al-Makura, in Lafia.
Speaking through the Chairman of its Advisory Council, Justice Mamman Nasir, the foundation said, “Nigeria is currently at a stage we may call crossroads, particularly, the challenge is for the North to find the appropriate, well-guided response to the myriads of issues surrounding the nation.
“Most importantly, we cannot dismiss the calls for the restructuring for whatever that stands for, and the desires and threats of some groups to dismember the country as mere developmental challenges.
“The irritating reappearances of the Boko Haram, even with the dogged commitment of the Nigerian Army to end the insurgency for good, are also of concern, similarly the pervading hate speech through the social media that has engulfed our youths in particular has dangerous religious and sectional colours and needs to be urgently attended to resolutely and with tact.”
Nasir said one of the foundation’s major mandates was to ensure that peace and unity prevailed in the North, by working to build bridges across the different interests in the North through advocacy and strategic communication with elders, traditional rulers, and relevant stakeholders.
According to him, these were the virtues the late Sir Ahmadu Bello stood and worked for during his lifetime.
Responding, Al-Makura described the late Ahmadu Bello as a leader who worked round the clock to ensure peace and unity not only in the North but also in the entire country.
The governor said unlike now, in the days of Ahmadu Bello, hate speeches and youth restiveness were alien to the North as the people were united under one leader.
Al-Makura, while advocating the adoption of unicameral legislature in the country to cut down the cost of governance, decried a situation where some lawmakers lacked the understanding of their constitutional responsibilities to the people.
He said the executive, the judiciary and the legislature must come together to strengthen the nation’s value system.
Meanwhile, the Katsina State Government on Monday announced the inauguration of a 21-member committee to articulate its position on the ongoing restructuring debate.
The first civilian governor of the state, Alhaji Saidu Barda, was named the chairman of the committee.
The Secretary to the Katsina State Government, Dr. Inuwa Muhammed, announced the inauguration of the committee on Monday.
Muhammed made the announcement shortly before the meeting of the chieftains of the All Progressives Congress which took place at the Government House went into a closed-door session.
Governor Aminu Masari, who chaired the meeting, had earlier enjoined northern leaders to speak with one voice on the restructuring issue.
Masari said, “The issue of restructuring is a very serious issue. I enjoin our leaders in the North to speak with one voice. We should be open; we should shun religious and ethnic sentiments but come up with a stand that will further help the Nigeria project. “
Other members of the committee are a former Senator, Aba Alli; the Publisher of Peoples Daily, Mallam Wada Maida; a former Senator Ibrahim Ilya; Senator Umoru Kurfi; all Speakers of the state House of Assembly since its creation; and a former Head of Service, Muhammed Lawan Aliyu.
Among those in attendance at the meeting were the APC state chairman, Shittu Shittu; a former Senator, Aba Alli; and the Deputy Governor, Manir Yakubu. – Punch.
