2023: North to use numerical strength to wields political equation.
By: Femi Mustapha.
A group under the auspice of Arewa New Agenda (ANA) has said during its forthcoming Arewa Agenda 2023 the North will brainstorm on how to use its numerical strength to wields in the political equation in the country during the 2023 Election
The Forum Coordinator/convener, Senator Ahmad Abubakar stated this in a press statement made available to the media on 24th August 2023.
According to him, the Arewa Agenda 2023 will also seek ways to promote the continuing prominence, relevance, involvement, and participation of “the north” that will enable the rapid growth and development of the region in the Governance and service delivery structure of Nigeria post-2023 general elections.
He explains that due to the strategic position the north occupies when it comes to determining leadership at all levels of Governance in the political processes of the democratic environment.
He stressed that the time has come for the North to fashion and streamline the continuing participation of the north and its people as usual in the process of governance and socio-political development of our great country Nigeria.
“As it stands today the Arewa Agenda 2023 is meant to set an agenda for the protection of the interest of the north about the determinant role it will play in the emergence of the eventual winner of the presidential election in 2023.
“While in 2015 and 2019 the North was needing only marginal support to coast home to victory. This time around, the South will be needing the full strength of the North to lead the “bulk of the charge” by doing the heavy lifting.
The North has provided through its numerical voting strength the pivot that ensured the victory of flag bearers from the Southern part of the country. Going forward, therefore, the north will require to be accommodated (Not compensated!) in the coming Governance and Service Delivery structure of the incoming administration in 2023.
“The forum will therefore be bringing together (towards achieving the above-mentioned and more), scholars, community-based associations and leaders, traditional institutions, the creative industry, civil society groups, pressure groups, development practitioners, leaders of thought, policymakers students, Women groups, Youth groups, interfaith groups from across the length and breadth of northern Nigeria to brainstorm in a two-day conference that will culminate into the development of a northern Compendium that clearly articulates the thinking, the position and the demands of the north; which will serve as a guiding charter for the pursuit of the interest of the region.
‘This compendium will serve as the regional road map that will continuously be built upon now and in years to come as the confluence of the northern ideas and a pivot for its development.
“Our desire for development and socio-economic change is to better the north and Nigeria; which outweighs our socio-political differences.
“Consequently, the northern Agenda 2023, is an all-inclusive approach as prioritized in the aforementioned agenda. This will serve as a panacea for the development of the entire northern region.”
