Some Notable leaders from the North-Central have announced the exit of the region from the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) over ravaging insecurity issues in the Area, while forming a new group, called the North-Central Peoples Forum.
The leaders said the new group is a part of efforts to tackle the challenges confronting the north-central, particularly the rising security threats in the area.
At the launch of the forum in Abuja on Wednesday, they said the organisation will serve as a non-partisan body with the primary objective of promoting peace and unity in the region.
The new group is led by its interim chairman, a former Minister of State for Health, Gabriel Aduku.
Other prominent leaders from North-Central that formed the group include a former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Jerry Useni; a former Deputy Senate President, Ibrahim Mantu; a former Military Administrator of Kwara State, Col. David Bamigboye (retd.); and a former deputy chief of staff to the President, Chief Olusola Akomode.
Also in the list of its members are the Publisher of Leadership Newspaper, Sam Nda-Isaiah; a former Nigeria Ambassador to South Africa, Ahmed Ibeto; a media consultant, Alhaji Tajudeen Kareem; a former Deputy Governor of Benue State, Chief Stephen Lawani and Alhaji Alfa Mohammed and several others.
Interim chairman of the group, Useni told journalists that the existence of similar groups in other parts of the country had given rise to group affinity and solidarity among the states in a particular geopolitical zone to canvass things of common interest.
He expressed confidence that the forum would unite the people of Benue, Kogi, Kwara, Nasarawa, Niger, Plateau and the Federal Capital Territory in their quest to ensure that peace and stability was established and sustained within the zone.
He added that the forum would pursue rapid industrialisation across all nooks and crannies of the zone.
He said the group would pursue policies and process that would ensure that the massive solid mineral and agricultural endowments were adequately harnessed.
He said, “The forum is also aimed at ensuring cooperation and support for the good policies and administration of the six governors of the zone, irrespective of our political, religious and ethnic differences.
“We will support and cooperate fully with the Federal Government for full and complete implementation of infrastructures, development projects situated in the zone and the involvement of the people of the zone in the national affairs of the country.
“We will promote, defend and strengthen North Central unity and the interest of its people in the context of one indivisible Nigeria and to contribute to the safeguarding of her territorial integrity.
“Consequently, every zone now has a common socio-political platform where they meet to discuss their strength and weakness with the view to propounding and promoting progress and development of the zone.”
(C) Control TV 2020.
