The North Central All Progressives Congress (APC) Forum has called for the adoption of the regional system of government in Nigeria following what it terms the marginalization of the region amid quality human resources and natural resources endorsement.
Speaking to newsmen on Friday in Jos, the Plateau State capital, on ‘issues of urgent national importance’, the forum’s Chairman, Alhaji Saleh Mandung Zazzaga, said the governance framework where every region could take care of their needs using their natural and human resources to develop their region is obviously the only option since the region had been allegedly marginalised in the vital scheme of things in the country.
The chairman said the region could use its educational quality, natural resources, political prowess and agriculture to develop itself and have a better society.
“Our call for the regional government has become necessary due to the marginalisation of the North Central region. The North Central has contributed a lot to the nation, in terms of agriculture, education, natural resources, political contributions to government and emergency of national leaders, among other vital national contributions, but yet has been marginalized over the years.
“We have been marginalised not only politically but in other aspects. The region, for instance, is also the food basket of the nation, especially from agricultural activities from Benue, Plateau, Niger, Kogi, etc, but our agricultural strength is not maximize at the national level to take care of the food security of our region.
“Similarly, we have natural resources like tin, and various other natural endowments, which can take care of the region’s economic needs, but yet not well maximized for the economic prosperity of the people.
“Also, since the democratic dispensation from 1999, the region has contributed to the growth of democracy and the emergence of many national leaders as well as presidents, but we are still marginalized in terms of political appointments. An instance of this is the recent contentious APC National Chairmanship position which is being taken to North West instead of being maintained in the North Central region according to the party political arrangement.
“So, after a careful consideration of how marginalized we have been in this nation despite our endowments and contributions to national development, we the North Central APC Forum is calling for the regional system of government.
“Since the regional system of government is a political framework where power is divided among constituent political units, such as regions or states, we are therefore calling for the adoption of such system so that each region in the nation can use their endowments to develop themselves, without any fear of marginalization
“Meanwhile the federal government would still be responsible for matters such as national security, foreign affairs, and regulation of interstate or inter-region commerce, while the regions would have powers to administer their respective regions,” he said.
Furthermore, Zazzaga pointed out that the region’s mission is to uplift the North Central zone, stressing that members are always initiating political and economic activities that would benefit the region.
According to Zazzaga, as loyal APC leaders they have been working for the success of the North Central region and have been working hand-in-hand with leaders of other parties and stakeholders alike from the region irrespective of ethno-religious or political affiliations
Again, he stressed that using their forum to project the North Central region is legitimate, and that even among the governors, legislators and local government chairmen, there have party or regional forums and affiliations to push for their common interests.
