From Noah Ebije, Kaduna
Youths from the 19 Northern states and Abuja under the auspices of Arewa Youth Forum (AYF) have told the Southern States Governors Forum to first settle the agitation and impasse in their region before talking about the Presidency in 2023.
Reacting to the communique issued by the Southern Governors after their meeting in Lagos on Monday the youths said the ‘AYF wishes to state categorically that the resolution of the Governors was not only unconstitutional but that such stand is what is responsible for the present state of affairs across the country.’
A statement by the Forum made available to reporters in Kaduna and signed by Gambo Ibrahim Gujungu said “We are surprised that the Governors were not concerned about how Nigeria will come out of the present predicament of insecurity and economic hardship and set the country on the part of progress and development. They are only concerned about where the president would come from. This is unfortunate.
‘Our advice to the southern Governors is that before we talk about the 2023 elections. They should work to settle the problems ravaging their states and region and even the country as a whole.
‘There is the problem of insecurity ravaging the whole country and some parts of the southern states, there is the protest and self-determination by some elements led by Sunday Igboho, who are disturbing the peace and freedom of well-meaning Nigerians and preventing them from going about their daily activities.
‘There is also the destruction of government facilities and killing of Nigerians especially those that are not of Eastern Nigerian extraction. Some Easterners have been deceived by the leader of IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu to be killing people and destroying properties. As youths committed to the unity of Nigeria, we believe strongly that these are issues that should ordinarily worry well-meaning Nigerians and the Governors.”
According to the statement, ‘it is only when some of these impasses are resolved before anyone should begin to talk about the Presidency in 2023, under an atmosphere devoid of rancour, bitterness and the present pronounced division.”
They also said “While we are not bordered where the president of the country comes from in 2023. Our main concern is that anyone that will emerge either from the south or the north must have the requisite acumen to unite the country, develop our resources across the country and not be someone that emerge just because he is from one section of the country.
‘It was because of this that AYF is not also pleased about the governors’ stance that they have “rejected the proposed 3% and support the 5% share of the oil revenue to the host community as recommended by the House of Representatives. The forum also rejects the proposed 30% share of profit for the exploration of oil and gas in the basins” in the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) recently passed by the National Assembly
‘AYF is of the belief that all these are sentiments that do not engender peace, unity, fairness that the Southern Governors said they want by asking for the Presidency in 2023. If we all look for a President of Nigerian extraction and not talking of region or state. He or she would be able to use the resources anywhere in the country to spread development across the nation.’