Following an assertion made by Ambassador Yahaya Kwende in which he said “North Is North, Middle Belt Does Not Exist In Nigeria”. The National Leadership of Middle Belt Youth Council, comprising over
400 ethnic nationalities, says it has lost confidence in former
ambassador Yahaya Kwande and Paul Unongo.
Addressing a press conference yesterday evening, the group’s
president, Emma Zopmal expressed dissatisfaction with the level of
hate-filled speeches by some misguided groups of people, including
government officials.
“Every parts of the country or group of people have the right to
demand for what will protect the interest of its people. This trend of
sad development came as a result of government’s failure to address some
fundamental socio-economic, geographical and political issues
challenging our common existence as a nation.
“Firstly, the Nigerian government has been so insensitive to the
security threats of our people over the years. Ever since the killings
of our people started by Fulani herdsmen, Federal Government of Nigeria
has never set up a special security committee, to find a way of
addressing this existential threat. It only focuses its attention on oil
and gas revenue bases in the south and fulfills the political demands
of the Arewas at all times.
“In this regard, the government has shown high level of
discrimination against the Middle Belt people and also pretends nothing
is happening here. We wish to remind our good friends from the South
that they should remain focused on the fight for restructuring other
than any cosmetic surgery to our national problem.”
He said the Middle Belt region will not take a step back on
restructuring and will immediately usher in demand for referendum if the
restructuring fails. “We know that the Arewas are comfortable with the
present system because it benefits them more than any part of Nigeria.
Therefore, they remain an obstacle to it instead of finding a common
ground to find a lasting solution to this national problem. Their
position has always been, We Say No to this and that in every national
discourse. This is not in any way solving problems but making it worse.”
“We want to inform His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari that
restructuring is not a decision of the Council of State or the National
Assembly, but it is a people’s decision. The whole of the South, Middle
Belt, and some progressive far Northerners are fully in support of it.
It will even be a credit to Mr. President and APC’s government if they
allow it to happen or else it will happen in spite of them.
“Similarly, we notice that of recent, Amb. Yahaya Kwande made an
unruly statement on Middle Belt, which to the best of our knowledge and
the country at large, we know that the Middle Belt is more than what he
thinks. Possibly he was at Jupiter when Pastor David Lot, Joseph Sarwan
Tarka, Gen. TY Danjuma, Air Commodore Dan Suleiman down to Solomon
Daushep Lar of blessed memories of the deceased three, stood up for the
interest of our people who have been oppressed and marginalized by the
north in which he has been a partaker in the process.”
He assured Kwande that Middle Belt exists differently from the north
and there is nothing like monolithic north, adding that, “We have lost
him and elder Paul Unongo to the Arewas and they can never represent
Middle Belt anywhere.”
According to him, “They have lost the script long ago and therefore
they are not relevant in the Middle Belt not even among the Arewas.
While they continue been the mere “winning tool,” we want to assure them
that the “tool” cannot work on our generation.
“We urge the federal government to douse those tensions through
dialogue not by using its might on dissenting voices like the IPOB and
any other group. Dialogue should be the only way out. Dialogue does not
mean cowardice or submitting its Sovereign powers but a way of engaging
aggrieved parties with the system who have lost confidence and trust in
it. Today may be IPOB; tomorrow may be another group worse than that.
“We also call on the Senior Special Adviser to the President, Garba
Shehu, to immediately withdraw his statement on rodents taking over the
office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. We are not
in a zoo that animals can live in the State House. This comment has
brought national and international shame and embarrassment to our
country.