Leaders of the Middle Belt Forum, MBF, have declared that they would not go with the North if the region goes ahead with its move to secede from Nigeria.
The group’s position was prompted by the threats of Lamido Adamawa, Dr. Muhammadu Barkindo Mustapha, last Thursday at the ongoing National Confab, to move his people of Adamawa State to Cameroun if Nigeria breaks up.
The next day, the Northern Elders Forum, NEF, led by Prof. Ango Abdullahi, said that Lamido Adamawa spoke the mind of the vast majority of Northerners. Prof. Abdullahi said the North was not afraid of Nigeria’s disintegration, adding that when other regions are ready for the envisaged separation, the North would join the fray.
But at the weekend, MBF leaders, who were persuaded to follow a northern agenda on the issue, beat a retreat. They argued that going with the North on such a serious issue would amount to signing for eternal slavery.
As a pointer to the opposition to the plot, the leaders resolved not to join other northern leaders to pursue the region’s agenda at the conference.
Nigerian Pilot learnt that last week Monday, delegates of Middle Belt met at Rock View Hotel where prominent politicians, including former PDP Chairman, Alhmadu Ali, Senator Ibrahim Mantu, former Deputy Senate President canvassed for a joint northern agenda.
Several delegates were allegedly disturbed by the outcome of the meeting which seemed to have endorsed a joint northern forum. Consequently, some delegates walked out and others held an independent Middle Belt meeting which they insisted should not be subsumed under the North.
They argued that the Middle Belt struggle arose out of the fear of domination by the Hausa-Fulani North and there was no basis for a common agenda at the National Conference.
It was further gathered that former Information Minister, Prof. Jerry Gana, who agreed to co-chair the Northern Delegates’ Forum to the National Conference with former Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Coomasie, turned the position.
The MBF instead prefers to lead the region and northern minorities into discussion with other sections of the country.
Informed sources said that an unnamed former military officer had been nominated by Prof. Gana to liaise with northern delegates to seek areas of cooperation and understanding.
It was understood that former military officer’s brief included meeting with the leadership of the North and reporting back to Middle Belt delegates.
A former military officer from one of the Middle Belt states had said publicly that the region needed to act independently to guarantee the security and welfare of its people.
The recent high profile visit of the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Abubakar Sa’ad to President Goodluck Jonathan, over the low representation of Muslims might have further swayed the Middle Belt leaders.
A member of staff of the MBF secretariat, who is also a delegate to the conference, told Nigerian Pilot in Abuja that the Middle Belt does not intend to band with the Hausa-Fulani to present a one North agenda against the South.
The Middle Belt, whose sons fought to keep Nigeria, he emphasised, would always be available to all parts of the country for meaningful dialogue, negotiations and understanding.
It will be recalled that at the Jos sitting of the Okurounmu Committee, Jerry Gana, who spoken for the Middle Belt, declared that the region would continue to work for a democratic, equitable, free and just Nigeria.
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