Northern elders fault SPA on regional autonomy

NORTHERN leaders under the aegis of the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) have rejected the call by the Southern Peoples Assembly (SPA) for Nigeria to operate a loose federation, declaring that it would not foster unity. The Northern leaders stated this Wednesday after they met to review the state of the nation, amid growing insecurity, economic and political problems.
The ACF’s National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Anthony Sani, said “when I read the call from the SPA that the six geopolitical zones be made federating units and be given the authority and responsibilities to create their states and local councils, I quickly concluded that these people want a confederal arrangement, preparatory to disengagement”.
He added: “Otherwise, if the zones will create their own local government, create their own states, where is the position of the Federal Government? What is the position of the Federal Government, is it not a confederation they are plotting? I do not think we need a confederal arrangement at this time, with a weak centre. If the centre is too weak the country will dismember”.
Sani added: “As far as ACF is concerned, this call is not in good faith. If you don’t want the unity of this country again, that means we would not be one country again”.
Besides, a statement issued and signed by Sani also stated: “the National Working Committee (NWC) of ACF met on February 19, 2013,in Kaduna and  “considered the controversies surrounding the exercises of recruitment and promotions in some security agencies as they affect northerners with serious sense of concern.”
He added: “It was against such back-drop that the Forum called on Northern governors to use their commissioners in the Federal Character Commission (FCC) to investigate the allegations with a view to ensuring that the North is not short changed”.
“The meeting also viewed with serious concern and sadness the recent attacks on the convoy of the Emir of Kano and the killings and kidnapping of some foreigners in some parts of the North.
“The Forum, therefore, called on those who derive pleasure in killing other people to lay down their arms and embrace peaceful means of addressing perceived grievances, lest the whole world decides not to do business with Nigeria as a result of the emerging violent culture that had hitherto been alien to the North.”