The Middle Belt Forum (MBF) has stated that the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), Northern Elders Forum (NEF) and other pressure groups in the North are only speaking for themselves over the planned relocation to Lagos of some offices of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the headquarters of the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN).
Speaking with the Nigerian Tribune, the national president of the Forum, Dr. Bitrus Pogu, said development and sentiment are two different things, stressing that if the relocation will improve the economy and bring development to the country, it is a welcome development.
He said it was time Nigerians jettisoned primordial sentiments and other narrow approaches to national issues because Nigeria has come of age and sentiment should have no place in driving the economy.
“Development and sentiment are two different things; if this relocation to where business is, will improve the economy of this country, why not?
“It is not an issue of sentiment. Abuja is a federal capital; it is not a northern capital, and for some elements in the North to cry foul, it is out of it.
“Our oil comes mainly from the Niger Delta, but look at the top echelon of the sector; they are mainly from the North, more than 80 percent, and the southerners are not complaining why NNPC should be filled up with northerners.
“All this parochial sentiment is coming because we have not yet become a nation. People still believe in their tribe, religion, and section rather than Nigeria,” Pogu said.
He pointed out that if the Federal Government felt such relocation would enhance and further reposition the economy, it should go ahead with the arrangements.
“So, if this government feels that things would be better if relocated to Lagos, and that is where the economy will be enhanced, why not? Anything being relocated to Lagos or any part of this country, as long as the economy will be better for it, is a welcome development. So, they are speaking for themselves, not for us in the Middle Belt.
“The Federal Government should continue with the relocation; it should stand firm in its policy to improve the economy and the security situation of the country. When the issue of security became a serious one, the federal government relocated some of the commanding units to the North-East. So there is nothing wrong with relocating some of these operations to Lagos; the federal government should continue what it set out to do for the improvement of the economy of this country,” Pogu said.
He added that restructuring remained the key to everything in the country, especially the economy and security, saying if it is properly restructured with regard to state police, there would be better security of lives and property.
“Restructuring is key to everything in this country; it is key to the economy and security in this country because if this country is restructured with regard to state police, we are going to have better security. Before the intervention of the military, there were two types of police after the colonial era: the Nigeria Police and the Native Authority Police. They worked and operated very well then, so why can’t we have state and federal police now?
Also speaking, the National President, Association of Ethnic Nationalities of Middle Belt, Mr Sule Kwasau, said those against the relocation of those agencies were fond of playing politics with every policy of the government.
“If it will enhance efficiency why not, some people who are mischief merchants are parading the information that President Tinubu wants to relocate the federal capital to Lagos, which everybody knows that it is not true.
“The federal capital is in Abuja and it is a constitutional issue and before you move the capital to any other place you must amend the constitution. It is being moved for efficiency,” he stated.
