A civil society movement to unite the states in the North Central into a solid political and economic bloc ahead of any planned restructuring of Nigeria has emerged.
Convener of the group, Dr Bem Ugoh, a former political activist who works at the Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi, renamed Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University, said the aim of the movement is awaken the consciousness of the people of the zone into unifying for common purposes.
In an interview with NewsNGR in Makurdi, Dr Ugoh gave the name of the movement as the Central Nigeria Peoples’ Forum (CNPF).
The north central is one of the six geo-political zones of the country which include six states and the Federal Capital Territory.
The states are Plateau, Benue, Niger, Kwara, Nasarawa and Kogi which have more than 22 different ethnic groups including Mangu, Tiv, Idoma, Igala, Nupe, Fulani, Yoruba and Gwandara among others.
Dr Ugoh said traditional rulers in the six states and the FCT are being consulted on the project, adding that the royal fathers would all be patrons of the group.
“The idea of CNPF is a definite response to current trending issues about partitioning Nigeria along regional enclaves. Every region in the country has now been granted a development commission. Conscious of that purposeful development, we decided to come together to respond to the opportunities that the commission offers. It is for the six states of north central Nigeria plus the FCT.
“So, we have come together from various ethnic nationalities within the zone to constitute a collective vanguard to promote unity, economic integration and cooperation. It is a rallying point for all the ethnic groups within the region.
“Most recently, the north central has come under incessant security challenges, from internal and external factors.
“We believe that providing a common platform for interaction will reduce the areas of mistrust among the units within the region.
“So, it became very pertinent for us to mobilise ourselves with a common identity as a people so that we promote unity,” he stated.
Asked to explain if its objectives would not clash with that of the Middle Belt Forum, he said, “The MBF is the platform for the struggle for the emancipation of the minorities in the north. And in my own perception, it lacks the contemporary geo-political definition in the present geo-political constellation of Nigeria.
“This is because the MBF derives its membership even from far northern states. Some of them are in the north east and north west. It was a platform for minorities which was aggregated deliberately to dissolve the hegemonic north out of the fear of domination by the northern establishment.
“So, that is a different platform,” he said, adding that the CNPF focuses on ethnic groups within the north central region.
Emphasising that the group will not be partisan, he however said it would not shy away from forging a common political position for the zone whenever the occasion arises, adding that the group is more concerned about uniting the region for common purposes.
“The most expensive project in this country has been and will always be national unity and integration. So, we’re looking at this peculiarity that we are the binding factor for the north and south.
“And if the project to keep Nigeria together remains sacrosanct, then we’re on the right path. This is what has informed our mission,” he stated.