IBB, Abdulsalami, Atiku Meet To Save North

Northern elders, including former President Ibrahim Babangida, former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, and former Finance Minister, Malam Adamu Ciroma, held a meeting at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel in Abuja yesterday in a bid to save the northern part of Nigeria from insecurity, poverty, disunity, youth unemployment, among others. […]

Northern elders, including former President Ibrahim Babangida, former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, and former Finance Minister, Malam Adamu Ciroma, held a meeting at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel in Abuja yesterday in a bid to save the northern part of Nigeria from insecurity, poverty, disunity, youth unemployment, among others.

The gathering, which had also Malam Maitama Sule, Professor Ango Abdullahi, Senator John Waspam, AVM Al-Amin Daggash and many other prominent northern leaders in attendance, met under the aegis of the Arewa Citizens Action for Change (ACAC), which will serve as the secretariat for this fresh approach to tackle the multifaceted problems of the north.

Professor Ango Abdullahi, a former Vice-Chancellor of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, was appointed as spokesman of the new group. Speaking to journalists at the end of the meeting, he said one of the primary objectives of the new group is to bring about unity in the north and to tackle the problems of insecurity, poverty, unemployment, etc.

An insider in yesterday’s meeting told Sunday Trust that the meeting discussed various issues concerning the north and set up two committees that will produce a framework for the achievement of the group’s objectives.

He said, “The issue discussed centred on insecurity, essentially on how to bring an end to the Boko Haram crisis which has defied government’s strategies. Issues related to it and which were discussed include how to tackle poverty, youth unemployment, religious intolerance and the issue of how to bring the 19 northern states together to pursue one cause. The meeting noted that various groups had sprung up in various parts of the north, pursuing different objectives. This is not good for the region.”

Sunday Trust learnt that two committees were set up. One on how to unify the north is headed by Senator John Wash Pam, and the second on insecurity, poverty and youth restiveness will be chaired by Air Marshal Al-Amin  Daggash, a former Chief of Defense Staff (CDS). Essentially, this committee is tasked with the responsibility of finding out how to tackle the seemingly intractable Boko Haram violence.

A member of the group, who pleaded not to be named because he’s not the spokesman of the organization revealed further that, “the committees set up have been asked to look into various reports that have been produced in various aspects of the problems of the north. They are also asked to reach out to various individuals and groups to find out the modalities for dealing with the problems. The committees have three weeks to submit its report, and on April 7, 2012, the group will meet on the next line of action. In between this period, there will be more meetings as wider consultations are ongoing to bring more people on board.”

Sunday Trust learnt that the new group is prepared to work together with various youth groups in Northern Nigeria in the quest to tackle the instability in the region because most of those involved in the crisis are the younger ones.

Others at the meeting included a former president of the  Court of Appeal, Justice Mamman Nasir; former Commandant of the Nigerian Defence Academy, General Paul Tarfa (rtd), Alhaji Sule Kantagum; a former Military Governor of North-Eastern State, General Abba Kyari; former Grand Khadi of Niger State, Sheikh Ahmed Lemu; Bello Kirfi; former Minister of Environment, Sani Zango Daura, among others.

The meeting was held two weeks after another group, the Coalition of Concerned Northerners, convened by Kano politician and medical doctor, Dr Junaidu Mohammed, met in Abuja and set up committees, including one of peace in the North. Northern governors, including Alhaji Sule Lamido of Jigawa State, Dr Babangida Aliyu of Niger State, and Alhaji Kashim Shettima of Borno State are among the long list of prominent persons from the North on the peace committee.