*Say Nigerians may resort to self defence
*Commend APC, LP for zoning presidency to south
*To announce preferred presidential candidate soon
Deji Elumoye and Udora Orizu in Abuja
The Southern and Middle Belt Leaders’ Forum (SMBLF) has decried the continuous abdication of government’s primary constitutional responsibility of safeguarding the lives and properties of its citizens.
SMBLF said the attitude is an irresistible signal to Nigerians to exercise their inalienable rights of self-defence by all means, in deviance of extant laws, which have not deterred terrorists use of weapons even superior to those of the security agencies.
At a meeting attended by former governors, former ministers and former members of the National Assembly, traditional rulers, the leaders extensively discussed critical issues of national concern, including the state of the nation and worsening insecurity.
Other issues discussed were the outcome of the presidential primaries of the political parties, the prolonged ASUU strike, continuous voters registration and the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) preparation for the 2023 general election.
The Forum, in a communiqué issued and signed by Chief Edwin Clark, Leader SMBLF/PANDEF; Chief Ayo Adebanjo
Leader, Afenifere; Dr. Pogu Bitrus
President-General, Middle Belt Forum and Ambassador Okey Emuchay,
Secretary-General, Ohaneze Ndigbo Worldwide for the President-General, denounced the spate of targeted terrorist attacks on churches and the abduction of church leaders, in the country.
The leaders equally decried the continued confinement of victims of the Kaduna train attack in the terrorists’ labyrinth after 89 days, as well as several other Nigerians who have been held by terrorists and criminals for months; calling on the federal government and security agencies to secure the safe release of all victims.
On the outcome of the presidential primaries, the Forum commended political parties, such as the All Progressives Congress (APC), Labour Party (LP), People’s Redemption Party (PRP), Social Democratic Party (SDP), and others which in line with the need for national cohesion and fairness nominated their candidates from the south.
They, however, deplored the insensitivity of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and other political parties, including Action Alliance (AA), Action Democratic Party (ADP), Allied People’s Movement (APM), New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) and Young Progressive Party (YPP), in nominating presidential candidates from the north for the 2023 election, in total disregard of the time-honoured principle of rotation.
The leaders disclosed that in due course, they will engage with the appropriate presidential candidates and afterwards decide on which of the candidates to recommend to the peoples of Southern Nigeria, the Middle Belt region and indeed, all Nigerians of goodwill, for consideration at the polls in 2023.
On voters registration, the Forum condemned the haphazard manner in which the ongoing registration exercise is being conducted by INEC in some parts of the country; calling for proper management of the process and even distribution of the Voter Enrolment Devices across the country, to ensure that all eligible Nigerians, in all locations, are registered to vote.
SMBLF said: “Cautions the INEC, given certain disturbing reports, to abjure unwholesome practices that would distort the credibility of the 2023 general election, particularly in its application of technology through the Bimodal Voters Accreditation System (BVAS) and transmission of election results.
“SMBLF expresses great concern over the continuous closure of Nigerian public universities due to the prolonged strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and urges both the federal government and ASUU to take all necessary steps to urgently bring this situation to an end and let the students return to their lectures, in the interest of the nation’s future and development.”
