2023: Why We Adopted Peter Obi-Middle Belt Forum

The National President of the Middle Belt Forum (MBF), Dr Bitrus Pogu, has given reasons the group is supporting the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP).

In an interview with VINCENT KALU, the MBF leader noted that the historical monolithic North no longer exists.

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So far, are you impressed with the way the campaigns are going?

Campaigns should be based on issues, but you see violence happening in some places, which shouldn’t be. Instead of addressing issues, you can see that the presidential candidates are attacking one another; so it is not how mature campaigns should be, and we are hoping it will get better.

Are you not worried about the violence?

Everyone should be worried. We saw how the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar campaign trail was attacked in Maiduguri. It’s unfortunate that such a thing could ever happen. If the trend continues, we may not have a smooth election, which may spell doom for our democracy, and I wouldn’t want that to happen. We pray that all parties that are involved in such things should call their members to order so that we have a rancour-free issue based campaigns that will give Nigerians the choice to elect who they feel will deliver for them good governance, having elected him in 2023.

The presidential candidates signed a peace pact to maintain peace, but in some states, the governors are not allowing the opposition parties to use their facilities and so on. What is your take on this?

It is an unfortunate development. It just means that we are gradually becoming a lawless society, if we are not one already. My prayer is that those involved in such acts should become more civil in their behaviour so that we have development in our political process.

MBF and some southern groups have adopted Peter Obi as their presidential candidate. What informed that decision?

Equity, fairness and justice: it is just those three words. Every Nigerian knows that the six political zones deserve equal treatment. The South East deserves fairness, justice. Similarly, we have had presidents from North West and South West and continue to interchange since 1999. Now, after eight years of President Buhari, it should justly go to the south, and, in the south, the South West has had former President Olusegun Obasanjo for eight years, and now Prof Yemi Osinbajo as the vice president for eight years in 2023. The South-South has had former President Goodluck Jonathan for nearly six years as president, while the South East has not produced any. So, for justice, equity and fairness, it is only proper for it to go to the South East, and, with consultation with South East leaders, Peter Obi emerged as the preferred candidate, and, therefore, he left the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and went to another platform. We are supporting him based on equity fairness and justice. That is the criterion.

Does equity, fairness and justice override competence in this instance?

Peter Obi was selected based on competence. In every geo-political zone, there are so many competent people, and among the lot of competent people who are in consideration from the South East, he stood out as the one we feel that, at this point in time, can help us in bringing the new Nigeria we are all aspiring to have. Competence, youthfulness, being energetic and not sickly, he has them all. He is the type of president that Nigeria needs now that can do the job without fainting, without going to the hospital every time, and he has the brains; he is an entrepreneur, a good trader and a good manager we believe can manage the affairs of this country, and he has a track record, which cannot be faulted. So what other competence do you want?

Some would argue that the North East has also not produced the presidency since 1999

The movement we have had since 1999 was between the north and the south. The North East could not capture the president after Obasanjo, it went to the North West, with the late Umaru Yar’Adua, and then it went to Jonathan of South-South, and it went back to the north, and as the North East didn’t grab it, was it the fault of the South that the North West grabbed it? Would you consider Buhari to only be North West, because, maternally, he is North East and paternally, North West? You can only blame the people in the north for not micro zoning it to the North East. Now, since it is going to the south after a northern president, if fairness is being applied appropriately, and our partners in the South said , ‘yes’, for fairness, equity, justice, it should go to the South East. It is nobody’s fault, let the people of the north now decide why when it came back to the North, it wasn’t given to the North East.

When do we put a halt to ethnicity, religion as considerations to winning elections?

It was when Nigeria became a nation, but, today we have nation states, and not a nation. We have tribal nations; we don’t have a nationhood created out of the Nigerian space with geographical states, which we accept as our country. We still have these forces pulling everybody, and before we could get there, we have to be able to address issues of tribal cleavages, religious cleavages. For example, when we were maturing and there was tranquillity in the land, a South West candidate, the late M. K. O. Abiola, chose Alhaji Kingibe as his running mate, no Christian even from the North raised an eyebrow to question the Muslim-Muslim ticket, but, today, we have a different situation. Boko Haram, they say they are Islamic group fighting; whether true or false, it is up to them to decide. We have ISWAP, an Islamic group fighting to carry out a jihad, which nobody understands. Then we have herdsmen militia, all having Islamic roots, and the Christians from the North, particularly the Middle Belt are threatened. So, that issue of same faith ticket cannot be tenable now, because even in this government, we have seen a lot of nepotism; people from the same religion, the same part of the country have been planted in strategic positions as if the others are not part of the country. From this, we have not developed into a nation; we are still states of nation within the space called Nigeria. By the time we are able to be a nation where Nigeria comes before religion, where Nigeria comes before tribe, and then we can do away with these things. In fact, when you talk to somebody at that time they will tell you, forget about this primordial sentiment, but, today, the realities are staring us in the face, and we have to face it squarely.

In the past, Chief Awolowo and Dr Azikiwe picked South-Eastern and Northern Christians as running mates, and no one raised any issues. When did it become an issue?

It was when religion and ethnicity started to stare us in the face. We didn’t have any Boko Haram before killing people for no reason; we didn’t have ISWAP before killing people for no reason; we didn’t have Fulani herdsmen militia before, but now, we have them, and everybody is complaining. Even in the North, people are complaining that nepotism has carried the day instead of inclusiveness and consideration for our diversity. These issues started to stare everybody in the face. You look, somebody is being killed by somebody who ‘pretends’ to be fighting a religious battle. Why should I support a system where both of them belong to the same religion, because I felt threatened that way, and that was why some APC leaders came out clearly to say, ‘We are APC, we believe in this political party, but we cannot accept Muslim-Muslim ticket’. It is because these things are realities today; it is happening because of what is going on today. In the past, when such things didn’t exist, nobody cared; nobody mentioned anything about it.

When Abiola and Kingibe ran together, nobody even asked why a Muslim from the South West picked a Muslim form the North East. It is the reality of today that informs the behaviour of today. So let’s address these things and let us not pretend and say they don’t exist. They do exist. The ordinary Christian from the North feels threatened by these attackers; in fact, the entire nation is threatened, and the Christians from the North are saying no to a Muslim candidate. The Muslim deputy is even coming from the Boko Haram enclave, so why should we support them? These are problems that are there because of the reality of today, and this reality has to be addressed so that we can move forward towards constituting a true nationhood in our conducts and in everything that we do. An American says, he is an American, and not a Christian American or a Muslim American; and a Nigerian is supposed to say he is a Nigerian and not a Muslim or a Christian from Nigeria. We have to address these things and then get out of the mess we are in.

One had expected that the Middle Belt Forum from the North would go for a candidate from the North, in the spirit of the monolithic North.

There is nothing called monolithic North. During Obasanjo’s period when some Middle Belters were appointed ministers and were given some key ministries, our brothers from the far north started saying that those appointees were not northerners. What defines a northerner? The Middle Belt struggle has been one of the oldest socio-cultural groups that existed. The struggle then was for a bit of the cake so that the bigger Northern Region would not forget the nationalities that were found in the southern north, and that led to what we have today. In the beginning, the powers that be in the North tried to carry these people along, but divisions started, and people started to say, ‘You are not true northerners’. So, who is the true northerner? So, they began to see themselves as a separate entity —the Non-Hausa Fulani and the Non-Kanuri minorities who were neither under the caliphate nor under the sultanate of Borno. When the British came, and these groups were coming together more strongly, and now they can say, ‘We have our identity’, the British kept us together for their administrative convenience and through the Indirect Rule that we have been subjugated to suppression and oppression, and it continued even after independence, and that is why the struggle continues. That monolithic North doesn’t exist today. Even the Hausa people, most of them are crying out to say that the Fulani came and deceived their forefathers, why actually they were fighting a political battle, took over our rulership.

Even some of their leaders, who were Muslims, were killed on Eid day, and their authorities taken over by the Fulani. They were Muslims before the Fulani jihad came. So, the Hausa are starting to probe into that historical episode to say, ‘These people are usurpers, and so we cannot accept it anymore.’ So, the cleavages are coming, you cannot hide history, because it will expose the truth, which people are hiding. Some of our leaders tried to stop the teaching of history. History is very important. Without history, I cannot tell my Kanuri brother that, before the colonial masters went to meet their leaders in Mongonu, they came to Chibok in 1902, and so we were also negotiated or forced into the protectorate just as you were. History tells me that my people were independent before we were all brought together. The monolithic North is now into cleavage, because history has exposed things that were hidden which are now in the open. But for Middle Belt, our struggle has been for a very long time, and we are only trying to ensure that our people are properly placed where they are supposed to be, and not to continue to play second fiddle to anybody; we are not second class citizens in our own country. By the time everybody has the right to be a Nigerian, just as everyone has just one vote, then Nigeria will be very good for everybody.

OBIDATTI SUPPORTERS IN NORWAY SPONSORED 5,000 POSTERS TO THE GRASSROOT IN KADUNA STATE

n their quest for better Nigeria, The Obidatti Supporters in Norway sponsored the production of 5,000 posters to the grassroots in Kaduna State.

After realizing the poor publicity of Peter Obi at the grassroots level, the decided to support the Obidient Movement with some campaign  materials which is expected to be be distributed down to the grassroots through the Peter Obi Grassroot Alliance, a group work assiduously by taking the Peter Obi message down to the grassroots.

The Coordinator of the group, Samuel Stephen expressed his profound appreciation to the Obidatti Supporters Norway group stating that the campaign materials will go a long way in advancing the Peter Obi campaign. The materials are expected to cover 12 LGAs and over 130 wards across the state.

Wike Criticizes Akitu for Being Silent on Buharis Lopsided  Appointments

Atiku on Wednesday said his government would be run on national unity if elected as president in the 2023 general elections.

He had promised to unify Nigeria by ensuring equity and fairness as well as reflect the federal character system in appointments to government offices.

But Wike described Atiku’s comment as insincere and maintained that Nigerians could not be fooled again.

He said, “Some people now are criticising Buhari’s appointments. Why did they not challenge Buhari since? Election has come. Who is fooling who? All these past seven years, you have not challenged Buhari but election has come. Nobody can fool anybody,” the Rivers governor stated.

Wike, therefore, advised Atiku to start his government of national unity within the PDP by ensuring that Iyorchia Ayu step down as PDP national chairman.

“Some people said they will form a government of national unity. It is not to talk but start now to implement it. If you cannot implement the small one, is it the big one (you will implement?)

“I pity poor Nigerians. When I heard people go to townhall meetings and said all kinds of things: they said they will implement restructuring, they will make sure that every zone will have a member in the security council, that it is not good for one zone to produce all the security chiefs but it is good for one zone to occupy all party positions. You see how Nigerians are,” the governor stated.

Calls for State Police – A Middle Beltan Perspective

By Patrick Anum

Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, governor of Delta State and vice-presidential candidate for the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), recently spoke at the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria’s (ICAN) 2022 annual conference in Abuja and offered a familiar position on the state of insecurity in Nigeria.

He recommended the adoption of state police as the solution for the growing insecurity in the country. The call for the creation of state police is not new. In September, the Northern Governors Forum along with the traditional leaders, made a strong case for the establishment of state police. They explained that it was the only way to effectively tackle the lingering terrorism, insurgency, banditry, kidnapping and wanton destruction of lives and property in the region.

In the past Southern Governors have also reiterated that State police is the only solution to solve the country’s security challenges. Rotimi Akeredolu, governor of Ondo and chairman of the forum, has said in the past that the forum would continue to demand the devolution of powers to the states.

To stress this need, there has been National dialogue to this effect. During the National Confab, Delegates on the June 26, 2014, adopted the resolution in support of the establishment, funding and operation of state and community police based on state laws. Of course, none of the confab resolutions were implemented.

From a Middle Beltan perspective, purposeful consideration needs to be given regarding the establishment of state police because unless that is done, the conflict would only be partially resolved in various Middle Belt regions notably Benue, Kogi, Adamawa, Plateau, Taraba, and Nasarawa. It might, however, intensify the crisis in other areas given the histories and the colonial legacies still present in the Middle Belt.

Other regions of the Middle Belt including Southern Kaduna, Southern Gombe, Southern Bauchi, Southern Borno, Southern Kebbi and parts of Niger State could in this regard, benefit from having pre-implementation plans.

The pre implementation plans would identify the gaps that state policing would not fill, possible solutions and special strategies for implementation. An example of such implementation strategies could be the creation of more states in the aforementioned areas before the implementation of state policing apparatus.

However, if state creation is opposed by the other states, and state policing is implemented with the current structure, one can only speculate as to the mayhem that would ensue in a region like Kaduna, where tensions between the areas of Southern Kaduna and the North still exist.

The former President Olusegun Obasanjo had said in 1992 that the problems in Kaduna were attributed to historical and colonial legacies and as such, were complex issues. Many scholars have in light of these considerations advocated for state creation as a solution to the lingering conflict.

Additionally, giving non neutral persons who are state governors such powers could spell disaster in fragile Middle Beltan states.

Already there have been rising tensions between SOKAPU (Southern Kaduna Peoples Union) and El rufai, the Governor of Kaduna State.

SOKAPU and El rufai have traded blames over the causes of the conflict in Kaduna. However, a look at the activities in the state paint a picture as to if the Kaduna State Governor who is currently trying to intervene in the conflict is actually neutral.

The Governor of Kaduna State’s activities include demolishing the only Church in Kaduna State University despite the establishment of six (6) mosques in the area.

He has also reiterated that he used monies from state coffers to pay killers from foreign countries to stop murdering the people of Southern Kaduna while ignoring the possibility of collaborating with security agencies to arrest and detain marauding “foreign killer herdsmen” in his state.

Also, under suspicious circumstances, he has restructured the traditional system in Kaduna leaving people in southern  Kaduna marginalized in their own local governments.

Looking at the larger picture, not only SOKAPU have had issues with El rufai –

 In 2017, the Nigerian Union of Journalists declared Kaduna State “the most lethal state to practice journalism” and warned that “…such attacks( in the state) may not abate soon”.

At least ten journalists and internet commentators have been detained or imprisoned in Kaduna State under Governor Nasir Elrufai, including Jacob Onjewu Dickson, Midat Joseph of Leadership Newspaper, Luka Binniyat of Vanguard, and Steven Kefas an influential internet commentator. 

Abubakar Idris (also known as Dadiyata), a government critic who was kidnapped in August 2019, has not yet been identified either dead or alive. 

It is plausible that the people of Southern Kaduna are not overly hopeful about the prospect of the state policing model being a solution to insecurity in the region.

Gombe State also serves as another case study for the postulation as to why state policing under the current model would serve as a disaster.

It also provides insight as to what the capabilities of having state police might entail for the non-Muslim groups in these areas.

Due to the State Government’s persistent interference with the traditional structures in the State, there have been ongoing accusations from non-Muslim groups in the state regarding the Governor of Gombe, Muhammed Inuwa Yahaya’s authoritarian activities.

Despite coming from a completely different ethnic group, the State Governor Muhammed Inuwa Yahaya attempted to impose a different candidate from the one who had been selected to be the Mai Tangale by King makers in March 2021.

According to reports, members of the Tangale traditional council at the time had either been detained or forced to flee the state as protests sparked crackdowns that resulted in injuries and fatalities

Another individual Alhaji Danladi Sanusi Maishanu whom the Governor tried to impose on the Tangale people had not even ascended the throne when he started making efforts to replace their cherished emblem which previously was (a snake  on a hill – with the moon and star emblem) signifying Islam.

Critics have questioned whether this is the reason why Muhammed Inuwa Yahaya, the governor of the state, had shown such interest in who ascended the throne of the Tangale people.

Another example that illustrates this point would be happenings in Borno State, where we can analyze Kashim Shettima’s actions as former governor.

The Centre for Justice on Religious and Ethnicity in Nigeria had advised Nigerians not to support the All Progressives Congress in the 2023 elections considering the vice presidential nominees activities as the former governor of Borno State. This recommendation was made in an article by Sahara reporters.

The first concerning situation which arose was when Governor Shettima was in charge of Borno State and neglected to enforce the N18,000 minimum wage in the local governments that were predominately Christian.

On the other hand, all the northern and central Borno LGAs, where the Shuwa-Arab and Kanuri tribes are predominately Muslims and there are little to no Christians, he introduced the N18,000 minimum wage.

He refused to enforce the minimum wage in the nine local government areas (LGAs) in southern Borno, where the Kwana, Kibaku, Putai, Bura and others, make up around 85% of the Christians population in the area. 

Even when the Borno State Government sought to hire some judges, all applicants from the Southern region who were of Christian extraction were regrettably ignored.

When a Christian traditional ruler in northern Nigeria passes away, according to Reverend Kallamu Musa Ali Dikwa, “the governor influences, enforces, and appoints a Muslim to take over, attempting to restructure the traditional institution along Islamic lines.”

He increased the scope by mentioning how “Governor Ahmed El-Rufai of Kaduna State implemented same in Kajuru LGA. Mallam Musa Bello, FCT Minister equally did the same in Bwari area council and how now, they’re trying to enforce a Muslim on Eggon people in Akwanga, Nasarawa state.

The kidnapping of more than 200 Chibok schoolgirls, which gained international news, was the most damning indictment on Shettima.

Goodluck Jonathan, a former president, claimed on page 21 of his book “My Transition Hours” that Shettima was in his words, “terribly interested” in the SSCE exam of the secondary school students in Chibok at the time.

In addition, Kashim Shettima was so interested that they remain in the school and complete their final secondary school (high school) exams there that he disregarded the West African Examinations Council’s request to have the students sit in a more secure setting.

The previous president questioned why the former governor would be that interested in a single school’s SSCE exam.

He also questioned why the Governor, who lacked police authority, would guarantee protection, and he thought it would have been far more plausible if the Commissioner of Police had alternatively made such guarantees especially considering the fact that the Governor just serves as the police chief in name.

How a Governor could miss such a call also baffled him.

It should be noted that there has been significant pressure meted out on even independent state policy. For example, even in Middle Beltan states like Benue, which have been largely autonomous and where anti-grazing laws have been adopted, the current PDP presidential candidate Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and other northern elite have disagreed and fought against such policies with belligerence. The current vice Presidential candidate Alhaji Atiku Abubakar even went as far as arguing that such laws were against the freedom of movement of certain sections of people in Nigeria and was therefore unconstitutional.

If resistance to autonomous state policy can be this controversial, how much more could it be in instances where people with different worldviews were being forced to coexist in the same state with their harassers.

It should be stressed that, without the necessary restructuring, giving such aforementioned individuals more authority at state level could spell certain catastrophe for the indigenous nationalities of the Middle Belt.

Restructuring is required to give Middle Belt communities their own leadership, legitimate ownership of their land in areas where they are endangered by roving herders, bandits, militia, and restructuring could even solve the problem of authoritarian and repressive political regimes in these areas.

In conclusion, there needs to be pre implementation plans that provide adequate restructuring – before there can be any talk of state police enactment.

Restructuring groups in Nigeria along regional and civilizational lines could be a preferred solution, and in the case of the Middle Belt, this means adopting previous reports that call for the creation of independent states in Southern Kaduna, Southern Gombe, Southern Kebbi, Southern Borno, and sections of Niger, as well as their inclusion to other parts of the Middle Belt, as was the intention of the minority report in 1958.

The adoption of state policy could then be carried out – and would result in little conflict there after.

Fury as Lalong uses State Government power – Calls for Public Holiday in Plateau as APC formally flags off Rally in Plateau

The Plateau State Government in a Press Statement has declared the 15th of November 2022 as a public holiday due to the arrival of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to flag off the All Progressive Congress’s Campaign at the Rwang Pam National Stadium through Dan Manjang in a press statement on the 14th on November 2022.

The State Government justified its position by stating that there is an anticipated and foreseen congestion and disruption to movement and other activities in the State due to the Presidents arrival.

The Governor in the press statement was seen to encourage the people of Plateau State to come out and give the President a rousing welcome to the fury of residents of Plateau who see this as using state power for political means and purposes.

Residents were seen on the Facebook page of the Plateau State Government showing their displeasure of the announcement.

A Daspan Mutia complained of the misplaced focus of the State Government while a Gloria Ogochukwu through a post complained as to why there was such utter disregard for education in the State as a public holiday was uncessary in the wake of resumption of the strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities after several Months.

Samuel Joshua Olowoniyi reiterated Daspan’s position by speaking about the shutdown of the state for party activities which echoed a misplacement of priorities in the State 

Others called out the hypocrisy of the government to the welfare of the state.

The statement reads;

This is to inform the public that the President and Commander-In-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR will arrive Plateau State on Tuesday, 15th November, 2022.

The President is expected to flag-off the All Progressives Congress campaign at the Rwang Pam Township Stadium, Jos at 10:00 a.m. same day.

In view of the traffic congestion that is envisaged and resultant disruption to movement and other activities, His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Plateau Rt. Hon. (Dr) Simon Bako Lalong, KSG, CON has approved that Tuesday 15th November, 2022 be declared as work-free.

By this declaration therefore, the public is hereby enjoined to come out enmasse to give the President a rousing welcome.

ANNOUNCER
Dan Manjang, mnipr
Honourable Commissioner for Information.

The Evil-Genius In Kaduna

By JD Ephraim Esq

Anything said about this evil-genius could be true. Sometimes such geniuses could be like the proverbial crocodile who swallows a heavy stone and believes it will help it sink deeper.
There is nothing I will not believe about this evil-genius. He has tampered with the architecture and engineering of Kaduna State between 2015 and now and there may be more tampering by 2023, If God allows him, to reach that time.
An incidental fall-out of his actions and, or inactions, is that most of us have gone spiritual. And we are testing the spirit world, according to our measure of access to it. In this spirit world, there are forces of darkness and forces of light,as well . To them, have been given, all powers, in their measure, by the Almighty Creator.
However, the more superior of the two forces, is that of light. But it is not freely available, in the material world. It depends on our ability to access it in the spiritual realm, as distinct from, the material world. Whoever has better access, controls the material world. Access to the forces of darkness, translates to, control of the material world; however, this can only be temporary. Control of the material world is not ad- infinitum. It does change, according to the personalities. There in lies our hope, to conquer, in the end, no matter the ingenuity of the evil-genius in Kaduna.
By 2015, majority of the people of Kaduna State voted the evil- genius in, because of the hatred of the then incumbent, especially in the Southern part of the State; where the political elite did what is normally known as “anti-party “.It was an all-party thing. Little did we know that the whole state was stepping into the viper’s hole. We did, praying that, even if anything, he would perform the miracle he did in Abuja, when he was Minister. Alas, we were wrong. The miracle he did in Abuja,it would seem, was to make the city become his, his family, friends, and associates, according to the Senates Committee probe of his land administration in the FCT. They thus ,banned him from holding any public office, but he was smart enough to head to court to have it set aside. By that smart act of going to court,, he became “clean”.On being accused of allowing property to self, family, friends, and Associates ,by the Senate’s Probe Committee, he said , ” well, if it is your time to be Minister in Abuja, you can appropriate the city to your enemies “. Well, some of us believe that here, in Kaduna, he is guided by the same philosophy, and thus, may repeat the Abuja “miracle”.
For a start, we know he has sold off, most of the government’s houses. We do not know yet, to who, but ,we may surmise a guess– and say, “to himself, family, and friends.” We pray that this time around, it would not be so.But what we know, for sure, is that, he may not sell it to his “enemies”. Only time will tell.
But that is just a “tip of the iceberg”. We leave the rest for another day, and the judgement of history.
By 2018,it was clear, that this evil- genius, had done enough harm, to the state. But in his calculation, a span of four years, was not enough. He had retired all the the credible politicians, in the state, to prepare the political space, for himself. He almost succeeded. But not totally. That is why we are able to talk and write.
For him to win the 2019 elections, which would have been impossible, but, as intelligent as he was, he embarked ,on the manipulation of religion. He knew the southern part of the state would not vote for him, because of the actions he had taken against their corporate interest, as mostly Christian minorities . He embarked on campaigns in the northern part of the state,for the 2019 elections, claiming he had declared a jihad on the Southern Kaduna State Christians.He came up with a law controlling religious practice and licensing of the clergy. That done with, he descended on their traditional institutions, and abolished tribal Chiefdoms and titles , and reduced their domains to mere towns and villages. He sacked district heads. He uplifted the Chiefdoms of Jere, Kajuru, and Kauru to Islamic emirates. Kachia, Zango Urban in Zangon Kataf Local government, are still in the sleeves, and we are all watching.
Not done with that, he descended on the civil service, sacked the teachers, and many civil servants . Pensions became a play-toy for him. As most Southern Kaduna people are not business men, but civil servants, and teachers, the Hameed Ali’s experience, was visited, on the people ,as most families, went under the economic realm, while most people fell ill,, frustrated and might have died. For those in businesses, he ensured he crumbled their businesses, for instance, the Micro finance banks- a vital link with the active rural poor . These banks were supporting the active poor through loans, but mounting the saddle of power, civil servants that maintained salary accounts in such banks were forced to transfer them to the conventional commercial banks thereby forcing the microfinance banks to become comatosed.
Within a span of four years, he had dealt with southern Kaduna and defeated them, in a “jihad” he unitarily, declared silently.
The evidence could be seen on the ground. What Uthman Danfodio could not do in the 19th century, other than the raids for slaves and slavery, he has now proven that even in the 21st Century, “jihad” was still possible . He had conquered southern Kaduna and raised his “Jihadic flags”. One could see the flags in the new Emirates of Jere,Kajuru and Kauru that were chiefdoms .

Going hand in hand with this is the spade of insecurity, going on, caused by, terrorists who they falsely brand “bandits”. There are also kidnappers, violent crimes, killing, maiming, raping, and burning down of buildings, farms, and whole villages.
Truly, this is what you see in a jihad. But it has fallen short of converting the people to Islam which a true Islamic jihad is supposed to achieve. It will appear the wickedness is not limited to Southern Kaduna alone but the whole state.
Going back to the 2018/2019 electioneering campaigns, it was enough for the evil genius to show what he had done to Southern Kaduna, and the people will believe that truly he had undertaken and almost won a “jihad” .He needed four more years, to complete, and consolidate the “jihad.” Therefore, he went to Zaria and the rest of the people in the Northern side of the State, during the 2019 electioneering campaigns, and said he needed four more years to complete the “jihad”. Our prominent PDP leaders in the northern side were, it would seem, mischievously silenced, through threats of exposure of skeletons in their cupboards, and they submitted to the mischieve .
The final electoral “victory” was done, it would seem, through Compromises and riggings.

Now. then, after the "jihad" of the 2019 elections, what next ? It is consolidation of what he has in store for the state. Then nature struck : and the Emir of Zazzau died. Allahu Akbar.  Inna lillahi wa inna illaihi rajiuun.  May Allah forgive his shortcomings, and grant him aljanat firdausi.  But the evil- genius is not thinking of how he too will end up in this world. He sees every happening, as an opportunity, to restructure and re-engineer society, in his own image. What sane people think is impossible, for him, it is possible. He has to satisfy his interests. Tradition will not count. It is either that he splits the emirate and ignore history ,or he places his own there ,ala Ganduje of Kano. 

And so it went. Just like during his first term, when he declared he was fighting a “jihad” against a particular section of the state, the rest of the people later, discovered it was not a real Islamic jihad, but his own version of” political jihad”, against the whole state. Those he said he was conducting the jihad for them, after wining,
became the first victims of the evil genius’ “political jihad” and everybody in the state , without exception, is a victim; victims of ill choice. Religion, being opium of the masses, can be used by ,( not angels), but the devil himself. After all, Christians know that when Jesus, was caught-up in the wilderness, to be tempted by Satan, it is reported that Satan quoted from the Bible.
To the Zaria people, the evil genius fought a “political jihad” purportedly, on their behalf, and they mistook it for the real jihad. At last, they have become the victims: real toys in the power calculus, of the evil- genius. Only time will tell.

Kaduna: PDP alleges unnamed guber candidate spearheaded attack on Atiku campaign 

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has condemned the violent attack on its presidential campaign rally in Kaduna by “sponsored armed hoodlums,” suggesting it was spearheaded by an unnamed governorship candidate in the state.

In a statement by its national publicity secretary, Debo Ologunagba, in Abuja on Monday, the party described the attack as unprovoked and reprehensible.

Mr Ologunagba said the perpetrator aimed to frustrate the party’s presidential rally by triggering tension, violence and bloodletting in Kaduna.

“This is contrary to the undertaking in the peace accord signed by political parties on September 28 by presidential candidates. The attack today must give well-meaning Nigerians concern as some reports allege that the vicious assault on the PDP presidential campaign was spearheaded by a governorship candidate in Kaduna,” the PDP statement alleged.

The PDP noted that the brains behind the attack were intimidated by Atiku Abubakar’s popularity and acceptance among the majority of Nigerians.

“These desperate elements should be reminded that from history, the people of Kaduna have never been cowed or subjugated and cannot now, especially in their present resolve to vote in Abubakar as the next president of Nigeria,” added the statement.

(NAN)

AN ANALYSIS OF SOUTHERN KADUNA UNDER POLITICAL BONDAGE AND THE CLOSEST OPPORTUNITY FOR FREEDOM IN 2023

By Eldee

The best political decision for Southern Kaduna people in 2023 is to transfer their bloc votes to Labour party who’s presidential candidate is a movement that has the power to push mountains.

Secondly, Though all the candidates from Southern Kaduna are competent enough to govern Kaduna State, Comrade Jonathan Asake’s sacrifice as SOKAPU President for the Southern Kaduna people in their dark experiences of kidnappings and killings has made him an easy candidate to sell than others who came out before him.

His courage and boldness to confront the government in power against all odds and to lead his team through vulnerable areas in the Kidnappers den shows he has the capacity to lead the fight against insecurity from the front.

His ability to mobilize support both locally and internationally for those living in the IDP camps dipicts his capacity to fight poverty and hunger.

His leading role in fighting for justice, equity and fairness amongst the 3 zones in the state will checkmate him to ensure justice equity and fairness for zone 1 and 2 if elected.

However, what about the risk of loosing and dividing the votes of PDP in Southern Kaduna to the advantage of APC Muslim-Muslim ticket government. If a choice must be made between the devil and the deep blue sea, between bad and worse which has been the position of Southern Kaduna people since the return to democracy in 1999 a good analysis of the dilemma must be made.

First and foremost we need to know that marginalization brings us closer to freedom than subjugation .

The reason why black Americans got their freedom at last was because they were able to endure years of marginalisation instead of accepting subjugation .

The reason why the black majority led by Nelson Mandela in South Africa got their freedom at last was because they endured years of marginalisation instead of accepting subjugation .

The reason why the Hausa’s can never break away from the political bondage of the Fulani’s is because they accepted subjugation instead of enduring marginalisation .

The reason why southern kaduna will be free in the long run is if we decide to endure marginalization rather than accepting subjugation .

Marginalization refers to social exclusion, where certain groups of people are denied access to certain rights in the society. i.e. denial of access to institutions, funding and other opportunities.

Subjugation is essentially an action by which a group of people conquers another group of people and the conqueror decides over all kinds of aspects relating to the conquered. Treating the conquered as inferior or subjects.

Our Muslim brothers in kaduna state whether APC or PDP do not believe that we have the right to produce a governor in kaduna state. They believe that it is their birthright to produce the governor in kaduna state. So both APC and PDP have the same agenda but they go about achieving it using different strategy.

While APC is using marginalization PDP on the other hand is using Subjugation .

It is easy to gain freedom after many years of marginalization because you will attract the attention and sympathy of the world when you are marginalized . But nobody gives you attention when you are comfortable with the crumbs that falls from your masters table as subjects.

The governorship of late Sir, Patrick Yakowa was an act of God not an act of PDP. Yar’adua died and God used Goodluck Jonathan being a Christian President to pick Namadi Sambo for Yakowa to be governor.

Majority of the Federal appointment we’ve had i.e Isaiah Balat, Garba Ali madaki, Nenadi Usman, Gen. Martin Luther Agwai, Gen. Luka Yusuf etc. were all appointed by Christian Presidents in PDP against the wishes of the governors of that period that are from the Northern part and also PDP.

If PDP truly appreciates our loyalty to party and Bloc votes since 1999 what is our reward? Deputy? God forbid. Politics is about give and take, we have been giving their candidates Bloc votes since the 1999. Now why didn’t they ask us to produce a candidate that they also will support? Politics is about negotiation, see how Gov. Nyeson Wike is negotiating for his people, what are our elders negotiating for us? For anybody to say that we should continue supporting PDP is as good as saying that we should accept second fiddle for only God knows how long. If they did not give Late Isaiah Balat the ticket to contest for the governorship of this state despite his sacrifice for the party, do you think they’ll give anyone of those parading themselves today? NO

APC is rather courageous enough to say they are taking everything because we didn’t vote for them and perhaps if they continue taking everything our freedom will eventually come one day or maybe if they continue taking everything PDP will come back to her senses.

Being a Christian dominated zone, our vote in 2023 is in defence of our faith, our freedom of worship, PDP have not defended us either, both at the state and the federal level they have not come out to speak against the he killing of Christians. Tell me what Sen. Makarfi said when we were being killed, tell me what Hon. Isah Ashiru said when we were being killed or didn’t Atiku withdrew what he said? Haba jama’a what did they take us for?

We told PDP to give us a better candidate against APC in 2023 yet they repeated the same unsalable person as 2019 but are expecting a different result. To make matters worse Southern Kaduna PDP elders now pushed a deputy governorship candidate that is older and more qualified than the governorship candidate, what an insults to the collective intellectual capacity of the Southern Kaduna people. Don’t we have younger competent youth? enough is enough! It’s better we take a stand now under the current movement and make our position of the No.1 seat known than continue going for second seat for God knows how long.
Please don’t mind my outrage ?

Eldee
08032986521

Muslim-Muslim ticket will heighten aggression against Christians, HURIWA cautions Tinubu:

…Reject APC, other parties mulling Muslim-Muslim ticket, HURIWA tells Nigerians

Civil rights advocacy group, Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA), on Sunday, cautioned All Progressives Congress presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu, to STOP mulling a Muslim as his running mate in the forthcoming general elections.  

HURIWA’s National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, in a statement, stressed that the emergence of a Muslim-Muslim ticket Presidency will further heighten the aggression against Christians by bandits and terrorists who claim allegiance to Islam.

The group said Tinubu’s move is unconstitutional and violates Section 14 (3) and (4) and Section 318 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria which specifically stated that the principle of federal character should be reflected in the composition of government and that no group, religious or ethnic, should dominate the other. 

According to a report in PUNCH Newspapers dated July 2, 2022, and titled, ‘Running mate: Tinubu pencils Zulum, Shettima, aide debunks meeting with Wike’, the former Lagos State governor may in the next few days name either Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno State or his predecessor, Senator Kashim Shettima, as his running mate to beat the July 15 deadline by the Independent National Electoral Commission.

The report said about 13 Muslim northern governors are pressuring Tinubu to choose of them because they backed his candidacy during the fiercely-contested APC primary.

Reacting, however, HURIWA’s Onwubiko said, “It is crucial to warn APC presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu, for the umpteenth time to stop his sinister plot to nominate a Muslim running mate. The nomination will endanger national unity and will divide Nigeria irretrievably. If Tinubu goes on with a Muslim running mate, the APC should just forget about Nigeria because religious war will break out and Nigeria’s case will be worse than Somalia.

“With President Muhammadu Buhari, a Muslim from Katsina State, who is obviously not concerned about the terrorist attacks on Christians, what will happen when Nigeria has Muslim-Muslim Presidency? It means Islamic state would be declared and war will kick off!

“HURIWA urges Nigerians to reject the APC or any party that want to foist same religion ticket on a heterogenous and multi-religious people like Nigerians. What happens to a Muslim-Christian ticket? What happens to a Christian-Muslim ticket? If a Christian-Christian ticket can’t work, then, a Muslim-Muslim ticket should never work! Nigerians should reject such parties with their Permanent Voter Cards!

“Section 38 of the 1999 constitution recognizes all religion while Section 318 and Section 14 (3) and (4) succinctly back the principle of federal character and resist the domination of a group in the composition of government.

For instance, Section 318 states: “federal character of Nigeria” refers to the distinctive desire of the peoples of Nigeria to promote national unity, foster national loyalty and give every citizen of Nigeria a sense of belonging to the nation as expressed in section 14 (3) and (4) of this constitution;

“Section 14 (3) and (4) states: The composition of the Government of the Federation or any of its agencies and the conduct of its affairs shall be carried out in such a manner as to reflect the federal character of Nigeria and the need to promote national unity, and also to command national loyalty, thereby ensuring that there shall be no predominance of persons from a few State or from a few ethnic or other sectional groups in that Government or in any of its agencies.

“(4) The composition of the Government of a State, a local government council, or any of the agencies of such Government or council, and the conduct of the affairs of the Government or council or such agencies shall be carried out in such manner as to recognise the diversity of the people within its area of authority and the need to promote a sense of belonging and loyalty among all the people of the Federation.”

HURIWA has also warned the Yakubu MAHMOUD led Independent National Electoral Commission not to play with fire by pandering to the whims and caprices of the ruling party but to conduct a transparent,  free, fair elections or else be prepared for war because the 2023 poll is the determinant factor if Nigeria will exists or burn to ashes and any attempt to manipulate the poll to favour the APC will be actively resisted for a long time to come just as the Rights group expressed doubts if Nigeria would survive any post election war. 

July 3, 2022

Emmanuel Onwubiko

National Coordinator – HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (HURIWA).

2023 Elections, Fulani Conquest Mission And The Choices Before The Rest Of Nigeria

NINAS Secretariat 

02 July 2022

All Political Parties including APC, PDP and Labour Party, subscribe to the 1999 Constitution and so whichever one of them wins the 2023 Presidential Election will Swear to Uphold and Govern by the 1999 Constitution. That would be comprehensive victory for the Caliphate that seeks to keep that Constitution alive via the 2023 Elections, as the Fulani Strategy for advancing the Fulani Conquest Onslaught against the indigenous peoples of Nigeria.

Knowing what we all know now about the Fulani Conquest Campaign against the rest of Nigeria, and knowing the Strategic Facilitation provided that Conquest Campaign by the Caliphate-imposed 1999 Constitution, it will amount to SELF-DESTRUCTION if the rest of Nigeria joins the Caliphate on the Voyage to 2023 Elections under the 1999 Constitution.

On the one hand, in the face of the sure consequences the countrywide consensus against the 1999 Constitution, the only Viable route now open to the Fulani to escape a Comprehensive Defeat (not electoral) in the Sovereignty Dispute raised December 16, 2020, is for the South and Middle-Belt to wobble into the 2023 electoral Voyage.

On the other hand, the only viable route now open to the rest of Nigeria to escape Complete Conquest by the Fulani, is to halt the Voyage to 2023 as this immediately Takes Down the 1999 Constitution and ends the Unitary Union of death foisted upon them by that 1999 Constitution.

The choices are clear for the South and Middle-Belt.

Those who wish to argue with the Signboard are at liberty to so do, but the Cost of our Collective Folly will be reckoned in blood if we choose to go to 2023 Elections under the 1999 Constitution.

Please see NINAS Special Project Bulletin No.7 of July 11, 2021 below for more insight.

——————————————————————————————————————————-

NINAS Special Project Bulletin No.7

Mechanism For Taking Down The 1999 Constitution: Turning Off The Tap Instead Of Mopping Endlessly

Dated: 11 July 2021, NINAS

As the countdown continues in the Union Dispute Declared December 16, 2020 by the Nigerian Indigenous Nationalities Alliance for Self-Determination, NINAS and the Campaign is intensified towards the Termination of the operation of the toxic and fraudulent 1999 Constitution:

All efforts and focus should be towards ending the Union of Death rather lamenting one more of the countless inequities of Unitary Nigeria.

Our Focus right now should be to Turn Off the Tap and on not any form of Mopping.

The 1999 Constitution is the Tap from which all our miseries flow, whether it is the killings coming from the Fulani Invasion or the monumental corruption that breeds the mass poverty or the acute lopsidedness we see in all aspects of Nigeria’s national life.

Every effort to point out or call for the remediation of another injustice or another malfeasance is like Mopping instead of Turning Off the Tap from which all the evils we lament flow. 

The more honest, the more potent and the more rational response to the man-made deluge of evils that are daily gushing out of that 1999 Constitution and swamping up all us in Nigeria is to Turn off the Tap; not to continue to Mop.

Let us Take Down the 1999 Constitution immediately and end the Unitary Union of death, attrition and backwardness it foists instead of the endless lamentations or feeble efforts to call out yet another evil amidst many. 

We are much more closer to extinguishing this known source of all our miseries than anything we may do towards amelioration, particularly regarding the killings, abductions and general insecurity being orchestrated by Fulani Herdsmen Militia and the so-called Bandits who are all parts of the same Terror Machinery in which the Complicity and Collusion of the Fulani-controlled Federal Government of Nigeria is becoming more and more manifest. 

Within the Framework of the Self-Determination Right now being asserted by the indigenous peoples across the  NINAS Alliance Territory (South and Middle-Belt), the ouster of the 1999 Constitution immediately ACTIVATES fully the Right to Armed Self-Defence since it is the Repudiated 1999 Constitution that Prohibits and Prevents the endangered peoples of the Alliance Territory from taking up arms in defence of themselves and their lands.

As the undisguised Fulani Invasion and Conquest Onslaught against the indigenous peoples of Nigeria become more manifest and more obvious to more people, the urgency of the need to halt that Onslaught become more obvious to more People. 

The preponderant question then becomes: “WHAT EXACTLY SHALL WE DO NOW TO TAKE DOWN THE 1999 CONSTITUTION?”

The answer to that question is outlined below; but first, the Basis of the answer: 

(1) We now know that the 1999 Constitution is the SOURCE of all our miseries including the killings, mass impoverishment and hopelessness.

(2) The Life of that 1999 Constitution is RENEWED once every four years by General Elections. 

(3) Only Political Parties contest elections.

(4) All Political Parties in Nigeria subscribe to the evil 1999 Constitution and so no matter which of them win any future elections, the 1999 Constitution remains in place and so our miseries increase and our extermination contiguities.

(5) As condition for assuming office, winners of all elections in Nigeria MUST swear to, and govern by the 1999 Constitution and so the Source of our miseries is reinforced.

IN THE FACE of the Countrywide Repudiation of the 1999 Constitution which was kickstarted by the CONTIGUOUS 12-State Sharia Caliphate of the far North which was the first Bloc to Repudiate the Secular 1999 Constitution by their SIMULTANEOUS imposition of Sharia in year 2000; and the rest of Nigeria which Repudiated that Constitution by Solemn Assemblies of the peoples of the various blocs, namely: 

Lower Niger: April 27, 2015 Solemn Assembly of the peoples of the Lower Niger in Port Harcourt.

Yorubaland: September 7, 2017 Yoruba Solemn Assembly, Ibadan.

Middle-Belt: July 18, 2018: Emergency Assembly of the peoples of the Middle-Belt, Markurdi.

AND in the Face of (1)-(5) above, the logic of the situation demands a Strategy that will break the Cycle of the Renewal of the life of the 1999 Constitution and therefore TERMINATE the operation of that Constitution. 

Having set out Clearly the  Mechanism for arriving at a TRANSITIONING Process by the December 16, 2020 Constitutional Force Majeure (CFM), and as the Nigerian situation continues to deteriorate dangerously, NINAS’ Strategy for Breaking this Cycle of Constitution Renewal, targets the Shutdown of the Voyage to the 2023 electoral cycle inside Q-3 of 2021 so as to precipitate the Peaceful and Orderly TRANSITIONING from the failed Unitary constitutional order foisted by the 1999 Fraud, to Fresh Protocols anchored on the Self-Determination Imperative for constituent peoples of the defunct Federation of Nigeria.

Central to that Shutdown Strategy will be to prevail on ALL Political Parties in the Alliance Territory to Close Shop forthwith since the end-product of all their activities in terms of going to another round of National Elections in 2023 under the Repudiated 1999 Constitution will only result in the Renewal of the life of that Constitution and therefore the Renewal and Reinforcement of the Source of our Miseries. 

This upfront SHUTDOWN of elections being proposed here is totally different from BOYCOTT of elections. (election boycotts are useless in the kind of situation we are trying to resolve in the distressed Nigeria Union). This Shutdown Proposition is also not about any off-season election such as Governorship, Senatorial or House Membership elections falling due in the period ahead of 2023. 

Guided by the Domino-1 and Domino-2 graphics herein, the December 16, 2020 CFM marked the attainment of the Domino-1 milestone while the Project Actions proposed for Q-3, 2021 (ie all-important Election 2023 SHUTDOWN inside the third quarter of 2021) is depicted by Domino-2. 

Except we are deceiving ourselves, we cannot be lamenting our torment in the toxic quagmire and death camp Unitary Nigeria has become for all constituent component Ethnic Nations in the South and Middle-Belt of Nigeria under the Caliphate-imposed 1999 Constitution AND at the same time be preparing to go to further National Elections in 2023 under the same 1999 Constitution from which the our lamentations and torment flow. 

It is suicide especially because the distressed Caliphate is also desperately looking for how to save their 1999 Constitution in order to keep their CONQUEST and ISLAMIZATION Onslaught against the South and Middle-Belt going.

By the Mercy of God, the ball is now in our court and we can EITHER be wise and Shut Down the Voyage of Doom called the 2023 Elections to save our lives and free ourselves from bondage OR we proceed in folly, with the Caliphate to 2023 Elections thereby Endorsing and Enabling the Caliphate killing and CONQUEST Onslaught against us by virtue of the 1999 Constitution. 

May wisdom prevail.