BY LINUS CHIBUIKE
AREWA Youth Consultative Forum has accused a political leader in the South West of masterminding what it described as violence against the Fulani ethnic group, which resulted in killings and arson.
The Group, which did not mention the name of the South West leader in question, demanded compensation for families of those who were in the attacks, including the survivors.
It said this as it warned that the North could not be stampeded into surrendering power, noting that the large heart of its leaders in giving the North’s total support for the emergence of political leadership outside the region, should not be mistaken for weakness.
These positions were made known in a statement by the National President, AYCF, Alhaji Yerima Shettima.
He gave a stern warning to the South West leader, who it said had “been fanning the embers of ethnic and regional hatred as well as igniting mindless and senseless violence, especially in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital,” adding that “his dirty political game is up if he fails to desist.”
The statement read, “Much as we condemn all crimes and criminals themselves, we cannot fathom why the action of a few criminals should justify any form of physical attack on the majority of innocent citizens and their assets in any part of this country.
“On the suspected South West politician, which we fingered as the arrowhead of the recent spate of senseless ethnic profiling and physical attack, all Nigerians are living witnesses to the role of the Northern political elite in stabilizing the nation, using the democratic system of supporting the emergence of Presidents outside the North. Our philosophy of self-denial does not mean we are not aware of our political strength.
“When the South West cried of marginalization over the annulment of June 12 polls, which the late MKO Abiola was said to have won fair and square, the North rallied behind the South West, by giving their massive votes to Chief Olusegun Obasanjo in 1999 and he served for 8 years.
“The emergence of another President from the North, the late Umaru Musa Yaradua was shortlived but the Northern Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) joined hands with Southern progressives to form the Save Nigeria Group (SNG) that helped pave the way for President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan from the South to continue as the nation’s leader.
“So, the North’s large heart in giving its total support for the emergence of political leadership outside the North should not be mistaken for weakness. We cannot be stampeded into surrendering power just because of one man’s blackmail to fuel his 2023 political ambition.”
“The North is never such a weakling and let it be known that Northerners did their best in supporting the emergence of Presidents from outside the region not because of political blackmail of ethno-regional profiling,” the AYCF noted.
