North has final say on state creation - ACF

CHAIRMAN of the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), Alhaji Aliko Mohammed, said in Kaduna on Tuesday that the clamour for the creation of additional states inthe country could only be successful if the North agreed. He spoke at the headquarters of the ACF during the visit of a delegation from the South-South, led by Chief Isaac Jemide, urging for a state not to be created out of Delta State. According to Aliko Mohammed, “I will like to say first and foremost that if North does not agree with any state of the federation, the issue of state creation will not happen because we represent 19 of the 36 States, and if this side of the country does not accept state creation, it will not happen. I will also like to say that ACF has already published its position about state creation. We do not believe that at this stage in Nigeria, we need any more states. “ The 36 states are already enough, and so if you increase it more than this, like they are saying up to 50 states, it means there won’t be a place to even sit down and talk. So we have our position clear that for now Nigeria does not need more states. We are going to convince our governors and legislators not to accept creation of more states. Let’s maintain the ones that we have for now, and later we may consider more.” But the Itsekiri ethnic nationality of Delta State under the auspices of Itsekiri Leaders of Thought, said they would resist the creation of new states in the country, particularly out of Delta State. They also kicked against the inclusion of tenure elongation in the amended constitution for the offices of the president and the governors. Chief Jemide said the Ijaw peopleof Bayelsa State had dominated the Itsekiri people to the extent that other Nigerians saw them (Ijaws) as the only owners of Niger Delta and South–South region. He alleged that the Itsekiri had been oppressed over the years bythe dominant tribes in the area, adding that others in the South-South geopolitical zone were oppressors bent on wiping out Itsekiri people from the zone. But the ACF chairman told them that Arewa had already taken a position against creation of new states in the country and assured the Itsekiri people of support. Chief Jemide said the purpose of their visit was to exchange ideas and seek for areas of cooperationbetween the Itsekiri ethnic nationality and their Arewa brothers. “This is not novel. Such relationships once existed up to our Independence. Our link then was our late Chief Festus Okotie-Eboh whose relationship with thelate Sardauna of Sokoto, Alhaji Ahmadu Bello and our late Prime Minister Tafawa Balewa is well known. Such was the tie that theyall suffered the same fate in the unfortunate and senseless coup of 1966. May their souls rest in perfect peace. “One of the prominent children ofthe late Chief Okotie-Eboh is a member of our delegation present at this meeting. He is Chief Adolor Okotie-Eboh. Our other brothers, Mr Ejueyitsi and Allison Ayida as public servants also related with some of you during your public service years,” he stated. The Nigerian Tribune