Southern governors meeting: North react to Nigeria Southern Governors Forum resolutions

Leaders for di northern part of Nigeria don react to di resolutions wey di Sothern Govnors Forum pass on Monday June 5 afta dem finish closed door meeting for di kontri economic capital, Lagos.

Di National President of di Arewa Youth Consultative Forum, Yerima Shettima, and di tok-tok pesin for di Northern Elders Forum, Hakeem Baba Ahmed, give mixed reaction to di resolutions of di Southern Govnors Forum as dem agree to some of di issues wey di southern govnors raise but concerns on odas.

Hakeem Baba Ahmed say, di koko of di outcome of di southern govnors meeting no be even di resolutions but na di style wey di govnors take gada demsef declare dia decision.

“Di one wey worry me be say di way wey di govnors take gada come togeda show say dem no believe say di system as e dey now fit to give dem wetin dem want,” im tok.

E say to bring dis kain leadership mata enta public, “all of dis go just cause tension, raise di temperature of di kontri.”

“Wen you bring dis kain mata come public na big worry, pipo go dey worry. All e go do na to raise di question, how we di public fit help you, if you seventeen powerful govnors no fit do am? Baba Ahmed add.

Di govnors forum pass resolution on different issues including security, elections, zoning of presidency and di Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB).

‘Southern govnors dey entitled to dia opinion on zoning’

One of di issues wey di north feel very strong about na di issues of rotation of presidency between di north and di south.

Concerning di issue of zoning, Oga Shetima say di southern govnors dey entitle to dia own opinions but “di north no dey interested in zoning and anybody wey tok say di north dey interested in zoning dey tok im own opinion.”

For di beginning of di fourth republic for 1999, Nigeria political parties bin dey do zoning of presidency between north and south, but di mata of zoning scata for 2011 afta former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan wey take over afta di death of northern president Umaru Musa Yar’adua, contest and win election wen presidency suppose dey for north.

“We no go let anybody intimidate or tink say di north go just give dem presidency becos dem make noise. Make everybody contest di normal way, dis na democracy,” Shettima tok.

For im part, tok-tok pesin of di Northern Elders Forum, Baba Ahmed, say true-true di north no get anytin against southern president, “but dem no want make few pipo come tell dem say president must come from di south.”

On matters wey concern security

For mata of security, Oga Yerima say although e dey necessary for states to get dia own police, as di federal goment no go fit do am alone, but “state policing no go work wit di current arrangement.”

E say until dem restructure Nigeria, state police no go eva dey possible, but di palava be say e get few pipo “cartel of pipo wey no want restructuring.”

Unto di mata of di resolution say di president must to “duly inform” Chief Security Officers of states of security operations wey go happun for dia states, Oga Baba Ahmed say, “dis request dey strange” becos according to di Nigeria Constitution, na only president get power on security issues govnors no get legal right to make dat kain demand.

“President dey inform dem, but wetin dem want na to give consent or permission to di security operations but govnors no get constitutional rights to give consent mata of National Security.”

Petroleum Industry Bill

Di two northern leaders of thought agree say di mata of demand for 5% or and rejection of 30% make sense.

According to Oga Shettima, dis mata no be wetin dem suppose do long tok for as e no make sense for goment to spoil pipo land and no give dem beta compensation.

E add say, make every state go back to dia states and see how dem go fit take advantage of di many natural resources wey dem get instead of everybody to dey chook eye for oil like say na di only resource wey Nigeria get.

But for Baba Ahmed, im believe say di mata of percentage negotiation no suppose enta public tok at all as e suppose be private mata between di govnors, federal goment and di institutions wey dey e be dia work to manage matas of petroleum for di kontri.

‘E no get any reason why Nigeria no go fit use electronic transmission of results’

Dis mata of removing electronic transmission of election results from di Electoral Act na one wey Shettima believe say Nigerians no suppose to even dey debate at dis time.

According to am, all over di world kontris dey use electronic transmission of results and e no get any reason why Nigeria no go fit do di same.

“if wey dey fit use our phones to d many different tins wey we bin no imagine before inside dis kontri, den goment no get any reason to say dem wan remove electronic transmission of election results from di Electoral Act.

Anoda issue wey di AYCF leadey react to na di mata of di anti-open grazing law .

As far as Oga Shettima dey concerned, “If pipo wan do cattle grazing business make dem go buy land do ranching, na so dem dey do am for oda parts of di world.”