Don’t distract Jonathan, M/Belt tells North

Middle Belt People, under the aegis of the Middle Belt Forum, have said the North will be deceiving itself, if it thinks the only way of grabbing the presidency in 2015 is to destabilise the government of President Goodluck Jonathan.

They, therefore, advised governors Murtala Nyako (Adamawa), Sule Lamido (Jigawa), Rabiu Kwakwanso (Kano) and Babangida Aliyu (Niger), who have been traversing the country seeking audience with former leaders, to sit at home and resolve the security problems facing the North.

This was contained in a statement signed by a former member, House of Representatives, Mr. Aminu Zang, in Jos on Friday.

In the statement entitled, ‘The North, deceit and illusions of 2015,’ MBF said the activities and pronouncements of many northern leaders did not portray them as elders but as champions of sectional and primordial interests.

It read, “Our attention has been drawn to the activities and pronouncements of the governors of Adamawa, Jigawa, Kano and Niger states, who have been going round the country. The objective of these activities, as they themselves trumpeted, is to get a ‘northerner,’ by which they mean Hausa-Fulani, to replace President Jonathan in 2015 — or even by any means possible.

“After meeting with Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, in controversial circumstances aimed at inciting tension between the Niger Delta and other parts of Nigeria, the group proceeded to Abeokuta to see Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo (retd.) and, thereafter, to Minna to meet with Generals Ibrahim Babangida (retd.) and Abdulsalami Abubakar (retd.) to ‘report’ President Goodluck Jonathan. They reportedly asked the two generals to intervene in a way that will make ‘our dreams become a reality.’

“Gen. Ibrahim Babangida, the man who annulled the June 12, 1993 presidential election and championed the northern consensus programme that excluded Dr. Sarah Jibril, thereafter, declared them patriots for their actions.

“The direction these people are coming from is obvious. Like Prof. Ango Abdullahi and a few others crying themselves hoarse about ‘It is the turn of the North (Arewa) in 2015,’ it is inconceivable and totally unacceptable to them to be out of power ‘for so long.’

“As far as they are concerned, only them should rule Nigeria, notwithstanding the fact that the Hausa-Fulani North have had, as President and Prime Minister, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, Shehu Shagari, and  Umaru Yar’ Adua. They have also had Atiku Abubakar and Namadi  Sambo as vice-presidents.”