President Muhammadu Buhari recently set up a delegation to consult with leaders and peoples of the six geo-political zones, following the violence that broke out during the EndSARS protests across 21 states. In separate meetings, the North, East, West and Southsouth regions stated their complaints to the Prof Ibrahim Gambari-led committee and offered ways to mend national fractures, writes ROBERT EGBE.
WHAT GEO-POLITICAL ZONES DEMAND
North
⦁ Support for Nigeria’s unity
⦁ Strict watch on FCT
⦁ Police reform
⦁ Role for traditional rulers
⦁ End to ASUU industrial action
⦁ Action on Almajiri, illiteracy
Southeast
⦁ Flush out criminals and killer herdsmen
⦁ Pay attention to and solve region’s groups’ demands
Southwest
⦁ Strengthening of security
⦁ Intelligence-driven policing
⦁ Review of the report of the 2014 national conference
⦁ Reopening of the country’s international borders
⦁ Repairing the damage to physical infrastructure and economic assets
⦁ Comprehensive programme to address youth employment reopening of universities
⦁ Southwest Development Commission
⦁ True federalism and power devolution
Southsouth
⦁ Restructuring,
⦁ True federalism
⦁ Revitalisation of region’s ports
⦁ Privatise all refineries to make them functional
⦁ Relocation of all NNPC subsidiaries to the region
⦁ Implementation of consent judgment in Suit No: SC/964/2016
What do Nigerians really want?
The Federal Government and many of the states thought they had it more or less figured out: Job opportunities for the 27.1 per cent unemployed as at August (according to the National Bureau of Statistics); resolution of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) strike that has kept students at home since March; provision of roads, healthcare and other critical economic infrastructure; stepping up of efforts to diversify the economy; intensifying the battle against terrorism in the Northeast and insecurity in other parts of the country; and provision of palliatives to stem the effects of the Coronavirus pandemic, among others.
Efforts to tackle these problems have been underway for a while. For instance, the Federal Government’s N-Power programme had enrolled 500,000 in two batches between 2016 and 2020 receiving 30,000 monthly, with enrolment of third batch of 400,000 in progress. It increased the National Youth Service Corp (NYSC) monthly allowance from N19,600 to N33,000 with more than 300,000 benefitting. It set aside a N75 billion Naira Nigeria Youth Investment Fund (NYIF) for businesses owned by youths between 18 and 35 years. It was buying better weaponry, including aircraft for the anti-terrorism war. In 2018, President Muhammadu Buhari announced plans for an upward review of police remunerations. By global standards, Nigeria, despite its contracting economy, had handled the pandemic relatively well.
But whatever silver lining optimists saw on the horizon came at risk of fading away when the #EndSARS protests spilled out onto the streets of 21 states.
For nearly two weeks angry young people took to the streets, blocking major roads across cities.
The sustained protests across Nigeria and other parts of the world forced the federal government to disband the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS). But animosity towards the police continued with protesters demanding an end to police brutality and harassment of youth.
The government also responded quickly and accepted a five-point demand by the #EndSARS movement.
While those who backed and came out in support of the #EndSARS movement were peaceful, another segment of the youth saw the protests as an opportunity and went on a looting and vandalism spree.
In hindsight, it was not unexpected.
A report published in July had predicted how Nigeria and other nations would experience civil unrest as a result of the pandemic that has ravaged the globe since December 2019.
The piece published by the UK Guardian, was a report of global risk firm, Verisk Maplecroft, warning third world countries of the post-COVID-19 economic realities.
It said the economic shock of the pandemic “coupled with existing grievances would cause widespread public uprisings globally”.
It added that the “highest risk countries facing a perfect storm, where protests driven by the pandemic’s economic fallout are likely to inflame existing grievances, include Nigeria, Iran, Bangladesh, Algeria and Ethiopia.
Government response
Jolted by the scale of the violence and seeking to forestall another occurrence, President Buhari directed his Chief of Staff Ibrahim Gambari to lead a Federal Government delegation that will consult with leaders and peoples of the six geopolitical zones.
Gambari said Buhari was aware of the level of destruction, following the hijack of the protest by criminals.
“The purpose of this engagement is to find out what the federal and state governments have done and can do. The Buhari administration is set to address what brought us to this level,” he said.
He acknowledged that the youths have been ignored for so long, adding that “we can no longer afford to do so”. The government would make effort to ensure inclusion of youths in governance and maximize their participation.
The North
The first leg in the series of engagements began on November 2, when the North’s governors and traditional rulers, top federal government functionaries met with Gambari in Kaduna.
It was the first major coordinated reaction to the #EndSARS protest and its aftermath from the region whose youths largely declined to join the push for the scrapping of the police Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).
In one voice, the North wrote off the #EndSARS protest as a “subversive action” intended to divide Nigeria.
Participants at the parley included Governors Malam Nasir El-Rufa’I (Kaduna), Simon Lalong (Plateau), Aminu Tambuwal (Sokoto), Bello Matawale (Zamfara), Atiku Bagudu (Kebbi), Abdulrahman Abdulrazak (Kwara), Governor Sani-Bello (Niger), Governor Yahaya (Gombe), Deputy Governor of Kano State, Alhaji Nasiru Gawuna and Deputy Governor of Katsina state, Alhaji Mannir Yakubu, among other leaders of the region.
In a communiqué of the meeting read by Chairman of Northern Governors’ Forum, Plateau State Governor Simon Lalong, the region said hijackers of the protest who vandalised, looted and burnt public and private properties, were seeking to change the Muhammadu Buhari government outside the ballot box.
The meeting canvassed the censorship of social media use given “the devastating effect of the uncontrolled social media in spreading fake news.”
It cautioned protesters against further action in Abuja and said all efforts should be made by the government to secure the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and the national assets there.
It called for roles to be given to traditional rulers and reiterated the indissolubility of the country. It condemned the attack on persons and protesters and the burning of places of worship.
The communiqué said the meeting “endorsed the indivisibility, indissolubility and oneness of the nation. The meeting took note of the devastating effect of the uncontrolled social media in spreading fake news. Therefore, calls for major control mechanism and censorship of the social media practice in Nigeria.”
The North’s other demands included the need to further push for amicable resolutions of ASUU strikes to enable students resume their studies as well as for collective effort in addressing the lingering challenges of the North e.g. Almajiri system, insecurity, illiteracy, poverty, etc
Besides appreciating the major reforms going on in the Police, the Meeting called for the strengthening of trust between the people and the Police.
Southeast seeks love, fairness, equity, justice
Interestingly, the Southeast seemed to have the fewest demands of the Nigerian state.
Its governors and leaders rose from a meeting in Enugu on November 7 pledging an indivisible and united Nigeria “built on love, fairness, equity and justice”.
They in turn requested President Muhammad Buhari “the father of our nation, to look into the demands of the various groups of our people, review same with a view to solving them”.
In a communiqué read at the end of the meeting by Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi State, who is the Chairman of the Southeast Governors Forum, the leaders affirmed belief “in one Nigeria and this is the reason we are in every part of this country erecting infrastructures, living peacefully with our host communities and doing our businesses”.
The Southeast leaders further requested a joint operation into “our forest to flush out criminals and killer herdsmen with Ak47, while pledging our commitment to continuous coexistence with the herdsmen who have been living peacefully with us for years”.
They thanked the President for the “speed and the restraint with which he handled the demand of peaceful EndSars protesters, especially his commitment to drive police reform and mainstream youth empowerment and also for his courage to deal with hoodlums, criminals and those who hijacked the initial protests to hide under the peaceful protest and kill, maim innocent citizens, security agents and public and private properties.”
“We pledge to continue to protect all the various groups living in the Southeast. We enjoin them to go about their businesses peacefully.”
Participants included Federal Ministers from the Southeast with Southeast governors, Southeast National Assembly members, Clergy men and women, traditional rulers, representatives of all the youth organisations in the South East, and student leadership.
Southwest’s eyes on security
It was the Southwest’s turn on November 9. Not surprisingly, considering that the region bore the brunt of the #EndSARS protests, its focus was more on security, youth restiveness and unemployment.
The Southwest leaders called for the strengthening of security in the geo-political zone and in the country.
“The security architecture of the country requires adjustment to adequately address the threat and realities of insecurity in the country. There should be more police presence in communities in Southwest states”, they said in a communiqué.
The Presidential delegation which included Inspector-General of Police Mohammed Adamu and Minister of Information Lai Mohammed met with the region’s leaders in Ibadan.
Participants included Governors Rotimi Akeredolu (Ondo), Adegboyega Oyetola (Osun), Dapo Abiodun (Ogun), Seyi Makinde (Oyo), Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti) and host Babajide Sanwo-Olu (Lagos).
Ministers from the zone at the meeting were Babatunde Fashola (Works and Housing), Sunday Dare (Youth and Sports), Adeniyi Adebayo (Trade and Investment), Rauf Aregbesola (Interior), Tayo Alasoadura (Niger Delta, State), Olalekan Adegbite (Mines and Steel), and Olorunimbe Mamora (Health, State).
Traditional rulers at the session included Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi, Alaafin of Oyo Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, Oba of Lagos Rilwan Akiolu, Alawe of Ilawe Oba Adebanji Alabi, Olowo of Owo, Oba Ajibade Ogunye, Orangun of Oke-Ila Oba Adedokun Abolarin, Ayangbunre of Ikorodu Oba Kabiru Shotobi, Olu of Ilaro Oba Kehinde Olugbenle and Owa-Ooye of Okemesi Ekiti Oba Adedeji Gbadebo.
The meeting demanded that the police, currently grossly underfunded, should get more attention for their needs so that they can do more to protect lives, properties and enhance security all over the country.It called for more intelligence-driven policing to prevent “the repeat of what happened in the country, following the #EndSARS demonstrations.”
The communiqué also called for the review of the report of the 2014 national conference with a view to implementing “some of the recommendations especially with reference to security, economy and equal treatment for citizens.”
The leaders called for the reopening of the country’s international borders.
“We believe that the prolonged closure of the borders has caused economic difficulties and should be re-examined to alleviate problems of the people in the border communities and prices of some essential commodities. There is need to review the closure and permit resumption of economic and trading activities”
They also called for specific measures and proposal to repair the damage done to the physical infrastructure and economic assets of the Southwest and praised the Federal Government for responding quickly to the initial demands of the #EndSARS protesters.
The regional leaders called for a comprehensive programme to address youth employment and empowerment and the reopening of universities by concluding negotiations with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
Like the North, the region gave its backing to the plan to regulate social media.
Before the meeting went into a closed session, some of the monarchs called for a Southwest Development Commission that will undertake socio-economic intervention programme in the region.
Southsouth
The Southsouth geo-political zone got its turn for its demands within the Nigerian federation on November 24.
Among its top demands to Gambari-led federal delegation were restructuring, true federalism and revitalisation of the region’s ports, among others.
Apart from the Southsouth governors, the critical stakeholders were traditional rulers and opinion leaders in the region, which produces Nigeria’s oil.
Delta State Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, Chairman of the Southsouth Governors’ Forum, who spoke on behalf of the region, said the zone was demanding restructuring in line with the principles of true federalism to guarantee peace, security and stability of the country.
The stakeholders also called for the revitalisation of all the ports in the region such as the Calabar, Port Harcourt and Warri ports.
They also asked the Federal Government to immediately privatise all the refineries to make them functional and boost the economy of the region. There are three refineries in the zone – one in Warri and two in Port Harcourt. They are currently comatose.
The stakeholders further demanded the relocation of all the subsidiaries of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to the region.
They observed that the country was not at peace with itself and not working efficiently for the people of the Southsouth region.
Okowa said Southsouth people were committed to restructuring the country to guarantee true federalism and devolution of powers to the states to create and manage their own police and security architecture under a federal structure.
He said the Southsouth geopolitical zone desired federating units constitutionally empowered to create their own structures like Local Government Areas, manage their elections and control their judiciary.
He said: “We are all aware of the huge endowment of this country. As such, it is imperative to stress that with a little bit of efforts, imagination, hard work, sacrifice and leadership, every state of the federation as of today, has the ability and capability to contribute to the national purse.
“This should be encouraged rather than the whole country depending substantially on a region of the country.
The governors called for the relocation of the headquarters of major oil companies, NNPC subsidiaries from Lagos and Abuja to the Southsouth region.
Okowa requested immediate implementation of the consent judgment entered in the Supreme Court Suit No: SC/964/2016 to enable the Southsouth region to get its share of $55bn shortfall of collection on deep offshore and inland basin production sharing contracts.
Those, who attended the meeting were Wike; Governor Ben Ayade (Cross River); Governor Udom Emmanuel (Akwa Ibom); Governor Douye Diri (Bayelsa State); and Godwin Obaseki (Edo State).
Others were Godswill Akpabio, Minister of Niger Delta; Timipre Sylva, Minister of State for Petroleum; Goddy Jedy Agba ,Minister of State, Power; Festus Keyamo, Minister of State, for Niger Delta; Osagie Ehanire, Minister of Health and Minister of Information Lai Mohammad.
Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi was absent.
Other eminent persons present were the National Chairman of the Pan Niger Delta Forum, Air Commodore Idongesit Nkanga, rtd; former President, Nigerian Bar Association, Onueze Okocha (SAN); President, Ijaw Youths Council (IYC), Worldwide, among others.