Northern Group Accuses Southern Governors Forum of Shielding Nnamdi Kanu, Sunday Igboho
- The resolutions of the Southern Governors Forum during their Monday, July 5 meeting in Lagos is still generating reactions
- One of such resolutions frowned at security operations in southern Nigeria carried out without the governors being aware
- A group in northern Nigeria says its interpretation of the resolution suggests the governors are trying to shield troublemakers
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Kaduna - The Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG) on Tuesday, July 6 responded to the issues raised by the Southern Governors Forum during their Monday, July 5 meeting in Lagos.
The coalition accused the southern governors:
“shielding felons, arsonists, and mass atrocity perpetrators in their midst by challenging the prerogative of the federal government to enforce law and order in all parts of the country.”
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Ex-presidential candidate condemns southern governors meeting, says it's a gang up against northerners
An angry northern group fires back
The CNG was specifically referring to one of the resolutions of the forum asking security agencies to get clearance from state governors before embarking on any mission in their domain.
The northern group was also making a veiled reference to secessionists in the south like Mazi Nnamdi Kanu who is currently in government custody and Sunday Igboho who was recently declared wanted by the authorities.
The spokesperson for CNG, Abdul-Azeez Suleiman, in a statement seen by Legit.ng said:
“Their support for treasonable felony, by the subtle endorsement of the activities of such criminal separatist forces led by the likes of Sunday Igboho and Nnamdi Kanu, by warning the nation’s security agencies against operating in the region without obtaining permission from the governor of the particular state is a matter that must be given the seriousness it deserves.”
Ohanaeze Ndigbo wades in on 2023 resolution
In a related development, the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has urged the Southern Governors Forum to sub-zone the 2023 presidency to the southeast in the interest of fair play and justice.
A spokesman for the Ohanaeze, Alex Ogbonnia, told the Punch newspaper that the group backed the southern governors’ position that the region should produce the president in 2023.
He, however, stated that other regions must be magnanimous in conceding the presidency to the southeast.
Recall that governors of the 17 southern states insisted that the next president of the country must come from the region.
The decision (if it comes to fruition) would effectively end the ambition of some top politicians from the north who are believed to be eyeing the 2023 presidency.
Such politicians include former vice president, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, former Kano state governor, Alhaji Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, and current Sokoto state governor, Alhaji Aminu Tambuwal.
Meanwhile, former governor of Zamfara state and a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Ahmed Sani Yerima, has said he would contest for the 2023 presidential election despite the recent stance of the Southern Governors Forum.
Speaking in Abuja with some journalists, Yerima said he would not shelve his ambition since there was no provision for power shift in the Nigeran constitution and the APC constitution.
He added that every Nigerian, according to the Nigerian constitution, unless it is amended, has the right to aspire to any political office once he is qualified.
Source: Legit.ng