Eleven widely-known senior Nigerians from various sectors of the society,
concerned at the situation in Nigeria, on Tuesday called on state governors to
be proactive in
seeking solutions to the problems of conflict and poverty.
In a statement issued under the umbrella of The Senior Working Group,
they observed that the current state of Nigeria reflects a hotbed of internal
conflicts that threaten the sovereignty and legitimacy of the nation-state.
“The Biafra agitations in the southeast, rising communal violence across
the country, the Boko Haram crisis raging in the northeast, and the surge in
armed robbery and kidnappings are tall tale signs of fragility within the
security apparatus of the country,” they warned.
They said the fragility of the north, particularly the northeast, in
terms of the measure of its human development manifests around issues such as
high illiteracy, high unemployment rates, and above all, the highest levels of
inequality and poverty.
To that end, they urged cooperation among Northerners towards solving
common problems, saying state governors, in particular, must be willing to
reach out to neighboring governors and begin to deliberate on common policies
that address common setbacks.
According to Saharareporters , Members of the group are the Sultan of Sokoto, Amirul Mumineen Sultan
Muhammadu Sa'ad Abubakar III, Cardinal John Onaiyekan, General Martin Luther
Agwai (rtd.), Amb. Fatima Balla, Dr. Usman Bugaje, Amb. Ibrahim Gambari, Dr.
Nguyan Feese, Dr. Jibrin Ibrahim, Mrs.
Aisha Murtala Muhammed Oyebode, Dr. Chris Kwaja, and Dr. Attahiru Jega.
In the statement, headlined “For the Well-Being of Nigerians,” they said
the governors must also institutionalize early warning mechanisms in
collaboration with civic actors and community-based organizations that can flag
potential conflicts, and adequately inform government so they can prepare to
respond, and in some cases, prevent conflict.
“Joint ventures should be encouraged and already existing organisations,
networks and institution, such as the Arewa Research and Development Project
(ARDP) and the New Nigeria Development Company (NNDC), owned by the 19 northern
states and with the mission to promote socio-economic transformation, should be
welcomed, reinvigorated and strengthened because they seek to foster solutions
for the well-being of all Nigerians.”
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