Emerging report indicates that prominent Leaders from the North Central geopolitical zone, have announced their exit from the Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF, announcing the formation of the North Central Peoples Forum, NCPF, as a platform to fight insecurity and marginalisation, citing the worsening insecurity in the Northern region, as the reason for their exit from the ACF.
Addressing Journalists in Abuja, on Wednesday, the group said that in spite of the abundant mineral and human resources in the zone, the North Central is bedevilled by vices, like kidnapping, banditry, and other forms of criminality.
The ACF currently has as its Chairman, the immediate-past Minister of Agriculture, Chief Audu Ogbeh, who is from the North Central zone.
The new North Central group is being led by a former Minister of State for Health, Gabriel Aduku, who is the Interim Chairman.
A former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Senator 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, are also listed as members.
The list further includes the Publisher of Leadership Newspaper, Sam Nda-Isaiah; a former Nigerian 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, among others.
Useni told Journalists that the existence of similar groups in other parts of the country, had given rise to group’s 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, FCT, in their quest to ensure that peace and stability is established and sustained within the zone.
He added that the Forum would pursue rapid industrialisation across all nooks and crannies of the zone, saying that, the group would pursue policies and processes that would ensure that the massive solid mineral and agricultural endowments are adequately harnessed.
His words: “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.”
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