Southern Kaduna Progressive Youth Movement
ACF CANNOT SPEAK FOR SOUTHERN KADUNA
We read with shock, utter disbelief and disappointment the statement by the Arewa Consultative Forum kicking against the creation of new states on the premise that it will further increase the cost of governance.
They sarcastically stated that if there was any compelling need to create new states, “issues of landmass and population must be considered” while also saying that “creating new states at a time when Nigerians are clamoring for reduction in cost of governance will be a huge burden on the nation’s economy and will not bring about the quest for rapid development”.
The Arewa Consultative Forum is simply against the creation of Gurara State from the present Kaduna State and are hiding mischievously under the banner of setting criteria’s that MUST be met before the creation of new states
The A.C.F should stop meddling into the affairs of the National Assembly and cannot issue a statement by saying that certain criteria’s MUST BE MET before the creation of new states.
If not for the short-sightedness of our leaders, each State or region can adequately meet her needs through harnessing the God given potentials found therein and the proposed Gurara state can conveniently stand on its own even without depending on the revenue from the federation account. Yes, WE CAN SURVIVE, YES WE CAN!
We the people of Southern Kaduna totally reject and condemn the statement of the ACF and urge the national Assembly to carry on with its constitutional duties without listening to a socio-cultural organization as the ACF in the discharge of their legislative duties.
We are very much aware that the motive of the ACF is to stop the creation of Gurara State, which they will woefully fail because we are more than qualified as a people to be given a state of our own. They do not want to see us as a people have our own state and have been in for-front ever since trying to thwart all effort in realizing the creation of Gurara state.
It is pertinent someone tells the ACF that states are not created using economy, landmass and population as parameter.
ACF is as well rejecting the “one Nigeria” slogan by placing a blanket ban on creation of new states; after all, it is a known fact that for justice to be seen to be done, the Southeast merits new states to have a semblance of equity in Nigeria’s political structure. If economy is the consideration as the Arewa Consultative Forum wants us to believe as the criteria for states creation, then those mostly “non-viable states” in the core North must not be and must be merged now.
On a second thought, who are members of the ACF that they want to give conditions for state creation? They are a bunch of retired spent forces who take delight in causing confusion and emasculating the voices of others and cajoling all and sundry to toe their line of reasoning.
They cry “one North” to us the so-called minorities when they need political and moral support to achieve their selfish desires, and when they want to cause divide and rule amongst us, they cry “for equity and fairness sake”. We say NO to their antics and warn them to steer clear the way of the Southern Kaduna people in achieving our desire for a new state and allow the National Assembly that is constitutionally empowered to do so, to do their job
One gets amaze at the length these so-called avowed latter-day Elders go to just to make their voices heard on issues; probably because of their narrow and uninformed disposition they are always too willing to make themselves heard even over nothing
Their statement is unwarranted, misleading and in utter bad faith against the good people of Southern Kaduna and others agitating for State creation and should therefore be ignored by all and sundry.
Caleb Samuel Abbott
National President
Southern Kaduna Progressive Youths Movement
The Arewa Consultative Forum’s position on creation of new states across the nation is a principled position that has been well informed by the clamor for reduction of cost of governance across the country.Those who clamor for reduction of cost of governance want resources committed to development of the real sector.
The Southern People’s Assembly had earlier met and issued a communique that only two states be created in the South for the purpose of addressing the “nattional structural imbalance” that has conferred undue advantage on the North.
By that posture,the South has foreclosed the creation of any states in the North.Hence the reaction of ACF that though the forum is against more states,any contemplation to add new states should take into account land mass and population.For example,the land mass and population of North Western zone are over and above those of the former Eastern region.And so,if injustice is defined as when equals are treated unequally,it also occurs when unequals are treated equally.
The people of Southern Kaduna are too intelligent not to know that they are not the only ones agitating for a sates.Many parts of the North like Benue and Niger states are also demanding for states.ACF’s principled position cannot reasonably be expected to be targetted against Gurara state,since there is no cause for it.
The people of Southern Kaduna cannot make a feint of not knowing that the exercise of creation of additional states goes beyond the National Assembly to require endorsement of at least 24 states’ legislatures.And so instead of being bellicose and percussive against ACF,those agitating for additional states should desist from the use of uncouth language in favor of persuasion.Social skill is the requirement,especially when regard is paid to the fact that they alone cannot make their dreams come onto their own.