North-Niger Delta alliance: May the north remember

My main motivation for this exercise of my fundamental right of expression is to refresh the collective memories of the peoples of the two geopolitical zones with a dose of their shared history and to build a case for a more critical assessment of the ongoing political calculations in the country as it affects the […]

My main motivation for this exercise of my fundamental right of expression is to refresh the collective memories of the peoples of the two geopolitical zones with a dose of their shared history and to build a case for a more critical assessment of the ongoing political calculations in the country as it affects the choices before them in the March 28 presidential election.

As a relatively young man in my early teens, I observed first-hand the deep political connection between the core North and the Niger Delta, which we were told had been nurturedin the fifties, even before the unfortunate civil war.  Let me point to a few significant milestones marking this deep long-cherished bilateral political alliance. In all the national elections the Niger Delta people have so consistently aligned with Northern political interests that all pro-North political parties and their presidential candidates essentially took the total support of the region for granted at every election and never once was the North betrayed or disappointed.

 History has it that the foundation of this alliance was set in the late fifties in the first Republic when (by the decision of the Niger Delta Peoples Congress to enter into alliance with the Northern Peoples Congress), the North defeated other contenders to produce the Prime Minister and leader of government.  And in more recent politics, it will be recalled that Rivers State, for example, maintained its enviable position as the state which gave the highest number of votes cast for the 1979 and 1983 Northern presidential candidates.

Indeed, evidence abound to prove that even during the long years of military rule, this bilateral alliance continued to be accorded serious regard in several diverse ways. Many Nigerians may not know that for well over a decade, the Ahmadu Bello University annually reserved dedicated admissions quota for qualifying students from key Niger Delta states until such states like Rivers established their state universities. It might interest some of the less informed younger generations from the two zones to learn that the old Rivers State (made up of current Rivers and Bayelsa states) established and operated a Northern Region Liaison Office in Kaduna for years to nurture and optimize the mutual benefits of this bilateral alliance.

 In fact, my older brother, the late Chief S. K. Dagogo-Jack (former Chairman of INEC) was one of the earliest heads of mission at this desk. In terms of integration of the grassroots of the two zones, I can list today several families originally from the North now settled in Rivers State for over forty years with third generation offspring who proudly claim Rivers in every sense of the word. There is also a sizeable Rivers /Bayelsa community who have lived peacefully and harmoniously in Kaduna and Kano for decades and who now consider themselves indigenes of those states in many respects.

Let me state for the avoidance of doubt that the relationship was never one of master and servant (as some misguided persons had thought) but one built on the basis of mutually strengthened strategic interests, nurtured over the years by the leaders of the two sides to serve both bilateral and the national interests at large.  I make bold to add that an honest evaluation of the first term of President Jonathan would easily confirm his deep respect and commitment to this long cherished relationship. President Goodluck Jonathan’s key appointments in the National Security, Defence and the Armed Forces, the Police and other strategic sectors of the economy that area clear testimony of the highest level of trust, confidence and dependency President Jonathan reposes on the age-old alliance. Mr. President through these appointments and related messages from his body language says loud and clear that based on the decades old alliance, he can comfortably entrust the critical components of his personal and political interests in the hands of Northerners without fear of sabotage and by most accounts his conviction has been proved right

I decided to go down this memory lane to make the point that the current political season and the imminent presidential election in which a Niger Delta son, Dr. Goodluck E.Jonathan, is seekingre-election on the strength of verifiable performance and results across virtually all sectors.  Our national endeavour represents a unique chance for the key political forces from the core North to restore the North-Niger Delta alliance, which hasunfortunately been subjected to severe political stresses in the last couple of years through the careless handling of the relationship by current actors. I am incurably convinced that the health of this alliance fortuitously forged five decades ago is intricately connected to the health of our Nation for which reason I see a fierce urgency of now to restore the alliance to its full former glory.

Whilst one respects the right of every Nigerian to run for public office, more so those with the required preparation and record of performance, I consider it quite sad the ongoing impression of an attempt to stampede an incumbent and performing President out of office with the seemingly tacit endorsement of the Northern political forces, the same region upon which the Niger Delta people principally have hoped to rely upon for the protection of their political interests based on the aforementioned rich history.

I am pained to observe the series of sustained, inauspicious and inappropriate open media brick bats and counter brick bats traded by politicians and statesman from the two zones to damage an alliance which took decades to build and which has been conducted confidentially for years.

It is my fervent belief that the fast deteriorating quality of bilateral alliance between the North and the Niger Delta region is a serious threat to the peace, harmony and security of not only the two regions but the nation at large.

Going by history and established statistics, the North justly occupies the senior partner position in the bilateral alliance and holds the responsibility of providing the required vigilant and proactive leadership for restoring the original core values of the alliance.

In conclusion, I verily believe that the decades old bilateral alliance between the North and the Niger Delta has helped to nurture the political stability of Nigeria and although the relationship has been undergoing serious trials in the last couple of years, the 2015 presidential election provides both parties a most unique opportunity to restore the relationship to its lost glory.

I most humbly urge the leadership of the two regions to urgently close ranks and commence effective consultations, conferences and negotiations aimed at coming out with one voice, as has been the case during the golden days of the relationship.  I further urge the Northern political leadership to give due consideration to the fact that so far as the grassroots Niger Delta people are concerned, President Jonathan (being from the Niger Delta) deserves to benefit fully from the decades old bilateral alliance and that the President should also reciprocally enjoy automatic political favour and endorsement from their long time political associates from the North.

For the sake of the continued peace, unity and corporate integrity of our beloved nation, it is my fervent prayer that the North would remember the good old days and furnish President Jonathan with the massive support which he so richly deserves, both on account of his meritorious stewardship as President as well as his being a qualified recipient of the established political understanding between the two regions. I say “May the North Remember” at this auspicious time in our collective history and my deep haunch tells me that indeed the North shall remember !!!

Beks Dagogo-Jack is immediate past chairman – Presidential Task Force on Power and currently the Deputy Chairman – Youth Mobilisation Committee (Presidential Campaign Organisation)