By Ikechukwu Okaforadi
A political pressure group, under the auspices of Arewa Agenda-2023 has begun mobilising the demands to be presented before the 2023 presidential candidates of various political parties, as conditions to earn northern support ahead of the next general election.
Speaking at a press conference before the commencement of a 2-day conference, the forum coordinator/convener of the Arewa Agenda-2023, Senator Ahmad Abubakar MoAllahyidi, said there interest is to ensure the development of the north and that the region is not left behind in the scheme of things.
“This we insist is not seeking compensation, but the right way towards inclusion and carrying everyone along. The forum will therefore be bringing together scholars, community-based associations and leaders, traditional institutions, the creative industry, civil society groups, pressure groups, development practitioners, leaders of thought, policy makers, students, Women groups, Youth groups, interfaith groups from across the length and breadth of northern Nigeria to brainstorm in a two day conference that will culminate into the development of a northern Compendium that clearly articulates the thinking, the position and the demands of the north; which will serve as a guiding charter for pursuit of the interest of the region,” MoAllahyidi said.
He said the compendium will serve as the regional road map that will continuously be built upon now and in years to come as the confluence of the northern ideas and a pivot for its development.
“Our desire for development and socio-economic change is to better the north and Nigeria; which outweighs our socio-political differences.
“Consequently, the Northern Agenda 2023, is an all-inclusive approach as prioritized in the aforementioned agenda. This will serve as a panacea for the development of the entire northern region”, the senator said.
Also speaking, the former Director General (DG) of National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Prof Danfulani Ahmed said they are inviting all the ethnic nationalities in Northern Nigeria to form the compendium.
“Whoever becomes a president, will follow the compendium. We want to examine the challenges. Insecurity issue is national. Boko Haram kidnapping, oil bunkering. The current administration has been doing alot. Our team wants any incoming president to address the issue of insecurity since it is a national issue. Security of citizens and infrastructure is paramount,” Ahmed said.
Also speaking, Prof Adamu Kyuka, said they are a group that seeks to engage the issues confronting Northern Nigeria.
“We are partisan with quality. We want someone with record and quality to be president and we are engaging with the presidential candidate.
“We are looking at issues based on the prosperity of the country. All of us whether from north and south, we are working for the interest of the country, ” Kyuka said adding that they are meeting other groups in the south are also meeting, adding that their interest is addressing insecurity”, he said.
