Northern Group Seeks Political Platform Protecting Region’s Interest

The National Political Consultative Group (North) has called for the urgent unveiling of the political platform on which the interests of the region will be pursued.

The NPCG (North) made this call at the end of its second expanded meeting held at the Ladi Kwali Hall of the Abuja Continental Hotel, where it expressed worry over the worsening insecurity situation, which has aggravated poverty, loss of lives and property, unemployment and destitution in the entire northern region.

The group was founded with the objective of uniting northern political leaders, forging strong relationships, and working as a united interest group within a political party as much as possible.

The chairman of NPCG (North) and former secretary to the government of the federation, Babachir Lawal, said the meeting was attended by prominent political leaders drawn from all 19 northern states and the FCT.

The main focus was reviewing the challenges of insecurity in the north.

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He said the former attorney general of the federation and minister of justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, presented a keynote address while leaders from the South-South, South-East and South-West geo-political regions, represented by former Governors Rotimi Amaechi, Peter Obi and Rauf Aregbesola, respectively, gave goodwill messages.

“Following both the keynote address and the goodwill messages, extensive deliberations were held, and the following conclusions were reached: Delegates acknowledged that insecurity had reached an unprecedented level under the present administration, aggravating poverty, hunger, destitution and the near collapse of education at the primary and secondary levels.

“Delegates agreed that the three major drivers of any society are fear, emotions and knowledge and resolved that the North must not allow itself to be driven by fear or emotions but by knowledge.

“Delegates resolved that the North must proceed with a United front in political choice going forward to ensure the region gets its maximum return in national political participation.

“Urged that the political platform on which the interest of region will be pursued should be unveiled urgently. That the region and indeed the nation need selfless leaders both in the management of political parties as well as public sector governance.

“Decried the impunity of elected leaders who run away with the peoples mandate by purporting to make decisions for their constituents without consultation, citing the recent developments in which elected state Governors and legislators are usurping the power of the people by endorsing other persons and themselves for re-election to political offices without reference to their constituents, advising that constituents should sanction such elected officials to serve as deterrent.

“Agreed on the need to escalate the group’s initiative to all the nineteen (19) States and FCT through the provision of the appropriate template. Resolved that the region must prioritise and promote industrialisation and high productivity in all sectors in order to exit the present economic quagmire.

“That, going forward, the North must premise its support for candidates at elections on enforceable agreement for the purpose of ensuring and protecting the informed interests of the region, irrespective of where the candidates come from. The meeting finally resolved to set up committees to facilitate the implementation of decisions and resolutions of the meeting,” Lawal added.