How Northern Governors Destroyed Unity Of Nigeria — Igbo Chieftain, Uwazurike

Chief Goddy Uwazurike, a former President of Igbo think-tank group, Aka Ikenga, has condemned the Northern Governors’ Forum (NGF) over their statement to retain Presidency in the North in 2023.

He also criticised the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar for destroying the revered image accorded him in Nigeria by aligning with the NGF over its resolution that it is unconstitutional for the South to ask the North to cede power. 

Nwazurike, the attorney representing Ohanaeze Ndigbo in the matter involving the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, also blamed the Presidency for going against Southern governors in their resolution to ban open grazing.

The lawyer disclosed this in a video obtained by SaharaReporters on Tuesday, in which he also berated Plateau and Kaduna governors, Simon Lalong and Nasir El-Rufai respectively for seeking power for Northern Nigeria when their states burn with violence.   

Nwazurike said, “The Southern governors had a meeting, the Presidency reacted violently, and all those who are shooting widely, all their snipers came out. Now, the man, where I don’t know where he belongs in this country came out to say we have the numbers.

“And then, the premium meeting which was the meeting of the governors that now brought in the respected traditional rulers and in one sentence destroyed the national image of Sultan of Sokoto.

“He came out to now challenge the South, does it make sense? The Sultan has a preeminent position and in their meeting, you see people giving way to him at the national level, at the next meeting they will challenge his right to preside.

“In the issue of the governors, I think there is more noise in what they didn’t say than what they said. How do I mean? Plateau state was just burning a week before. Kaduna state was burning even as the meeting was going on. Absolute silence on those things. All they are interested in is power. In other words, the Northern governors, those who were there, forget this nonsense of being unanimous, it was never unanimous. They started talking in a way I can describe as talking down on people.”

He further revealed that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has thus far maintained the political arrangement of rotating the Presidency among the six geo-political zones. 

Uwazurike stated that the Northern governors have destroyed, with their resolution, the weak strand binding the people of the country.

“Our constitution is very clear. Section 15 of the Constitution under the fundamental rights for everybody, 15 (4) the State shall have a full foster of the feeling of belonging for everybody. And, there should not be discrimination. In other words, everybody is free to aspire, but the political arrangement of making sure that power goes round is what I will say without any fear of contradiction PDP got it right, practised equities with six zones. APC came in with two zones. Even a northern governor said you cannot tell us power must come from there (south), who do they think they are? In other words, the Southern governors are less in quality than these Northern governors.

“Let me state this clearly, these northern governors. They were not trying to cement the unity of this country. They are not trying to do anything to quench the dissect. All they are doing is cause confusion as Ambassador Kwanten said.

“It was in cahoot with the Presidency. If you remember attorney-general was busy equating open grazing to selling spare parts and questioning why we talk about Presidency coming to the South. And in this country, you ask yourself, does the President belong to Nigeria or is he the President of Northern Nigeria? If President in 2023 is going to be President of Nigeria, then what comes around must go around. 

“So, without any equivocation, those governors really, really destroyed the tiny thread that has been holding us. That’s on the issue of 2023,” Uwazurike said.