Gyang Bere, Jos
The Northern Elders Forum (NEF) has vowed to reject any move by those it tagged “self-styled leaders” under the Middle Belt Forum (MBF) to detach communities in North Central Nigeria from the North.
Deputy Chairman of the NEF, Amb. Yahaya Kwande, in a press statement in Jos, yesterday, said the states that make up the North Central zone were recognised as Middle Belt under the North.
“These statements seek to distance our communities from those in the two other zones of North West and North East that form the North or the old northern region. More disturbing, these statements suggest that we are effectively parts of the communities in the former southern Nigeria made up of Western, Mid-West and Eastern Nigeria in our political disposition and in all matters that influence our approaches to the manner we co-exist with other Nigerians.”
Kwande who noted that Simon Bako Lalong, Governor of Plateau State from the Middle Belt is the chairman of Northern Governor’s Forum and Rev. Yakubu Pam is chairman of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), said the North will continue to champion the rights of all communities in the region and work with other Nigerians to improve the unity and economic welbeing of the country.