*Advise President to convene national conference
By; AMOS TAUNA, Kaduna
Rising from a 2-day meeting over the state of the nation, a group, Arewa Think Tank in collaboration with 19 Northern based Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) have tackled those opposed to some economic policies of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The group specifically faulted those kicking against the relocation of some key departments of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) from Abuja to Lagos.
A communique issued today and signed by the Chief Convener of Arewa Think Tank, Muhammad Alhaji Yakubu, and leader of the 19 CSOs, Engineer Daniel Maikudi, called on President Tinubu to call for political conference to revisit all the past constitutions of the country from independence to date, deliberate on them, make comparison for amendment and forward to the National Assembly for approval as part of solution to some contending national issues.
Some of the CSOs include Northern Network for Peace ( NNP), Arewa Youth Assembly (AYA), Arewa Solidarity Point (ASP), Northern Initiative ( NI), and Middle Belt Support Group (MBSG).
Others are Gombe Front (GF), Borno Development Agenda (BDA), Kogi Patriotic Youth (KPY), Kaduna Discussion Group (KDG) and Katsina Forum (KF), amongst others.
The communique said, “It is not true that the relocation to Lagos of the Headquarters of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) and of certain departments of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) are political moves aimed at marginalising a section of the country.
“These allegations are unfounded and baseless. The moves to relocate these offices is rather a pragmatic administrative steps to improve operational efficiency and reduce operating costs.
“So we urge all Nigerians to be especially mindful of all persons and groups at home and elsewhere, who specialise in making false and inciting claims on radio, TV and social media, as well as in peddling altered videos and images for viral dissemination.
“The Arewa Think Tank in collaboration with 19 Northern based Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) have expressed continuous support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu following the emerging threats of political consequences by some northern leaders and youths over the decision of the federal government to relocate five out of about 29 departments of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) from Abuja to Lagos.
“The relocating departments of CBN are Banking Supervision, Other Financial Institutions Supervision, Consumer Protection, Payment System Management, and Financial Policy Regulations).
“Northerners should go back to the drawing board and see what did President Muhammadu Buhari do for them during his eight years in office. Nothing other than to run railway lines from Nigeria to Niger Republic. The North is in dire need of genuine leaders who can stand and speak for the region when it matters rather than for selfish reasons as seen in recent times.
“In our meeting, we were able to x-ray the so-called northern leaders, and we found out that they are only out to sponsor some jobless youths against the constituted authority to protect their selfish interest and that of their children who may be staff of the apex bank and the FAAN.
“The noise on the relocation of some departments of the CBN and headquarters of FAAN from Abuja to Lagos is unnecessary and worrisome to hear some people who claim to be speaking for the North and threatening there would be political consequences for Tinubu’s administration if this decision is not reversed.
“Some people are just ready to overheat the polity. If some of us with our level of education don’t come out clearly on issues like this, the country will be doomed for it especially the North which requires genuine leadership.
“At the time they were threatening the corporate existence of Nigeria over relocation of these offices, the common northerner who travels between Kaduna and Abuja, Kaduna and Zamfara, and other parts of the North are facing serious terror of kidnappers and bandits.
“As northerners, we expect them to speak when the North is affected and not when they are affected. Now those making noise are affected and not the North. They are affected because their children are working in these banks. Before now, major agencies like the NNPCL, and CBN have stopped advertising jobs. The question is how will the relocation of a few departments of CBN affect the common northern man having a provision store by the roadside? How will it affect the common northern woman selling maize by the roadside in the North?
“We saw under Muhammadu Buhari’s government, how he threw cautions to the wind as he simply continued on the trajectory of previous Presidents from the north by ensuring that all state institutions of importance, significance and relevance were shifted to the north and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
“And until the Tinubu government appointed Nyesom Wike, no Southerner had headed the FCT as minister. Yet, our Northern elite still kicked against his appointment.
“We want to use this opportunity to call on President Tinubu not to worry about Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso pulling out of ECOWAS because it is a proxy war between Russia and the United States who have turned ECOWAS into a confrontational field.”
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