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Kaduna — The 19 Northern states governors, under the aegis of Northern Governors Forum (NGF), yesterday deliberated on the continued absence of President Umaru Yar'Adua from the country, declaring that the President does not need to write the National Assembly about his absence, since the issue of assigning Vice President Goodluck Jonathan as Acting President can either be verbal or in writing.
Rising from an emergency meeting at the Government House, Kaduna, the governors argued that it was not mandatory for Yar'Adua to transmit any letter to the National Assembly on his absence or the relinquishing of power to Jonathan.
They said the position of Acting President could be transmitted either verbally or in writing, stressing that the Vice President has been performing well since the President left the country over 70 days ago.
In a communiqué read at the end of the meeting by the Chairman of the Forum and Niger State governor, Dr. Mu'azu Babangida Aliyu, they called on all arms of government to continue to give the Vice President total support pending the return of the President.
The Forum condemned the recent crisis in Jos, Plateau State, insisting that it was more political than religious and asked the federal and Plateau State governments to take proactive steps to nip the crisis in the bud in the interest of peaceful coexistence and development of the country.
The governors called on the government to direct the full implementation of various investigative panels on the recurring crisis in the state, pointing out that there was the need for sustained and deliberate campaign to abrogate the settler/non-indigene syndrome in the overall interest of peace in the country.
The communiqué stressed the need of strengthening the security apparatus by way of proactive and pre-emptive measures towards securing the lives and property of the people as a fundamental constitutional responsibility and to forestall future occurrence of such crises in the country.
The governors however, denied recent media reports that the Bauchi State House of Assembly had passed a resolution asking all indigenes of Plateau State to leave the state, claiming that there was no truth in the reports.
In his address, Aliyu lamented that the problems and challenges facing the north today were more daunting than at any time in the nation's history as a region and as a people, adding that governors as political leaders have the responsibility to defend the constitution and the nation's nascent democracy by ensuring that the current unprecedented constitutional challenges were handled with utmost caution, maturity and patriotism in the overall interest of the nation.
"History and posterity will be harsh on us if we failed to do what is appropriate to save the situation in the interest of the nation.
"We should learn from our recent history and be more vigilant so that some people do not hijack the situation and sow the seed of disharmony in our body polity by claiming to protecting or speaking for the north.
"Some of us may recall a situation during the era of late General Sani Abacha when he was kept out of public view for whatever reasons for a prolonged period and some officers took advantage to be running the affairs of state while creating the impression that the General was in charge.
"We should therefore be circumspect and very appreciative of the circumstances that we are in and indeed champion the course for respect for the constitution and the rule of law. We should therefore discourage creating divisions along ethnic and religious lines, but rather continue to encourage unity, self reliance, collaboration, cooperation and understanding for the overall interest of our people.
"We should realize that as governors, we are the legitimate voice of the people and therefore, we should be forthright on issues that concern the security and welfare of the people," he said.
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these bunch of elected people are supposed to be people of reasoning. While I commend their view on the crises in Plateu State, I am very astonished at their saying that their is no need to have evidence from the Presiden Mr. Umaru Musa Yaradua to give a letter of handing over. These people sorry to say have no interest of Nigeria in their hearts, they are self-centered and selfish. What are they trying to communicate to Nigerians, that Nigerians are stupid for asking that President write a letter of hand over? They should be careful and know without doubt that the country is for all of us not for the some few peole with selfish interest. Either this governnors are for Nigeria or they are against Nigeria.The President must resign weather some people like it or not period.
I suppose you won't be surprised when the legendary "soldier boys" hit the streets. A coup is in the offing: you can't mess with the POWER from the North.
Taking about a coup who would plan and carry it out? The MEND boys are only interested in pocket money to by luxurious SUVs and parade their harem of dames. They cannot plan and carry out a coup in Nigeria. gorrila warfare is different from actual military coup or war
The West the Yoruba are filthy rich after the Pa Obasanjo's reign of terror in Nigeria. They are not interested in a coup that my threaten their political and finacial position in Nigeria
The Ibo are still licking their wounds of the civil war that coup is the least thing on their mind.
Our Effik friends are always the recipient of other's sweet and they will turn around appear on the scene as the intellectuals of Nigeria.
The North of course cannot plan a coup against itself.
By this analysis, the name of the game is Status Quo and the Northern boys know that very well hence they sat tight on their butts
The Losers in all this is the South who has allowed the North to Balkanize them into states to foster indirect rule they learn form the British. Anyone waiting for a Coup can wait for the long haul.
Why is it that Nigerian people fail to recognize that there is a coup already? Who gave aunty Dora the power to speak? She has the backing of the military boys. She could have done so thousand times on her own. But sha, she has done well. At least as the leader of a civilized coup. But Aunty Dora if you happen to have a part in the next administration forget about this your fake rebranding. It never worked and will never do. Follow your new action path. It will lead you to becoming the first female president in Nigeria. Keep it up Aunty.
The issue of asking the president to resign or hand over a letter to the vice president is a mere preposterous thesis which lack constitunality and morality. Section 145 of the 1999 constitution made it clear of what the should do.the president is still alive. why is anybody asking him to write a letter. The vice president is not on a different ticket, and was not elected either.To me therefore, the vice president is just like a bestman in a wedding.I think, this is an indusement and miscarrange of democracy, and is similar to June 12,1993 of Chief Abiola.I hope those calling on the president to oblige are not vindictive since they are mostly from the south-south. The northern Governoers resolution is courageous and should supported by all loving quintessential democrati with democratic values and ideology
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