The Afenifere in the United Kingdom (UK) and Europe has backed the southern governors on anti-open grazing laws, resolution on Value Added Tax (VAT) and quest to produce the next President of Nigeria in 2023.
In a statement by its Secretary, Anthony Ajayi, the group submitted: “We urge southern governors to further explore more areas to deepen democracy and enhance the frontiers of true federalism in Nigeria.
“Since the northern governors hold the belief that they are the majority in Nigeria, they should use their population advantage to develop their region and stop the malicious statement that the judgment of the Federal high Court on VAT is questionable.”The group stated that President Muhammadu Buhari’s address at the United Nations (UN) General Assembly, especially where he called for the reform of the world body and his recommendation of dialogue to resolve Palestinian/Israeli issues, meant that he understood the importance of restructuring.
“We enjoin President Buhari to key into restructuring that the Afenifere has been advocating as similar to the reform that he wants to see at the UN.
“Northern governors did not meet to discuss how to improve life, add value to their states, but they are meeting to discuss VAT, social media bill and Presidency,” the group said.
The Afenifere said the northern governors did not meet to end banditry and neither did they meet to end terrorism, nor talk about economic growth and how to foster development across the regions, adding: “But these governors will come and be threatening everyone on how power must remain in the North. When you talk, they claim they have the numbers.
“Yes, they have the highest numbers of out-of-school children but with time, Boko Haram and banditry will be a child’s play, because those you fail to empower and educate will have no option than to take up arms.
“They have the lowest GDP in Nigeria, they produce nothing of commercial value. Their lands that could be used to produce large farm products for industry are tents for terrorists.
“The only thing they know is power. Power without value. Power without making a difference. Power without control. They cannot continue to set other regions or zones in Nigeria backward. Restructuring will pave way for competitive development.”