The Southern and Middle Belt Leaders Forum (SMBLF), has advised all political parties to zone their presidential tickets to the southern part of the country to complete two terms.
SMBLF insisted that the president must remain in the southern region in the next four years consequent on the 2027 general elections in the interest of national political stability.
The forum’s position was contained in a communique issued by it leader and leader of Afenifere, HRM Oba Oladipo Olaitan, President, Middle Belt Forum, Dr. Bitrus Pogu, President-General, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Sen. John Azuta-Mbata and National Chairman, PANDEF, Ambassador Godknows Igali, after it emergency meeting held at the weekend.
According to the communique, “That further to the Resolutions at the General Meeting of 24th March 2006 all political actors and other citizens shall ensure that Nigeria remains a thriving multi-party constitutional democracy in line with the inalienable history and political development of the nation.
“That the position of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria shall remain in the southern region thereof in the next 4 years consequent on the 2027 General elections in the interest of national political stability, particularly that such zoning arrangement having been established even by political parties had been the trend and emerging as part of the national democratic culture since 1999.
“That in the above regards, political parties now at their Congresses and Conventions are strongly advised to zone and elect their Presidential candidates from Southern Nigeria.”
SMBLF has urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to be indeed truly independent in handling the affairs of political parties and the conduct of all elections.
“That SMBLF expressed profound concern about the unabated controversy over certain sections of the Electoral Act that could significantly affect the integrity of the elections and cause avoidable tensions in the polity and accordingly urged National Assembly to review same.
“That in view of the importance of the Electoral Act to free and fair elections and credible democratic processes a special Committee of the SMBLF was inaugurated for a holistic review of the concerned sections of the Act. That the Judiciary should remain truly independent and ever alert to its constitutional roles of interpreting the constitution and the laws in the interest of peace, stability and progress of the nation and its democracy.”
On the state of security, SMBLF passed a vote of confidence in the capacity and patriotism of the Nigerian armed forces and other security agencies to protect life and property of Nigerians and the nation’s territorial integrity.
“That SMBLF notes with concern that the security agencies are overwhelmed by inadequate personnel commensurate with the size and population of the country and urged the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces to ensure massive improvements in this regard in the interest of the security and well-being of the people and the nation’s territorial integrity.
“That SMBLF observed with dismay the red-carpet treatment and incentives given the purportedly repentant terrorists by the Nigerian State and governments of some of the sub-national states under the guise of amnesty while the victims of their genocidal crimes remain involuntary guests at IDP camps wallowing in squalor and their homes remain occupied by terrorists without hope of return.”
On community policing, SMBLF noted the efforts and steps by the federal government and the Inspector General of Police on the convocation of State and Community Policing by the memorandum in this regard presented to the National Assembly.
“That SMBLF however expressed dismay and decried the unnecessarily long gestation period of 60 months for the institutionalization of State Police as proposed in the published recommendations of the Inspector General Police.
“That with the reality of the current state of insecurity the country cannot afford the luxury of such delay in ensuring State and Community Police to complement the efforts of the Federal Police, other security agencies and the Nigerian Armed Forces in ensuring total security of the federation.”
The communique added, “SMBLF observed with concern the misguided xenophobic aggressions of some South Africans against Nigerians and other Africans on the spurious grounds of their jobs being taken by these immigrants and swooping allegations of commission of crimes.
“That Nigeria and Nigerians remember and are proud of our historic Afrocentric foreign policies and particularly our heroic roles in the emancipation of South Africa from the clutches of apartheid, yet we shall not tolerate any aggression against Nigerians and the Federal Government is called upon to ensure the protection of Nigerians anywhere in the world”
“SMBLF insists on the restructuring of the federation to give the federating ethnic nationalities and constituent states the required autonomy in tandem with true federalism on which Nigeria was built by our founding fathers.”
