Communique issued at the end of the
strategic summit of the Middle Belt Dialogue which held at the Eliel Centre,
Ray field Jos
on Monday, January19 2015
The Middle Belt Dialogue (MBD), a
non-governmental organization composed of ethnic nationalities of the Middle
Belt of Nigeria committed to building strong, free and prosperous communities,
held its 5th strategic summit on the 19th Day of January
2015 at Eliel Centre, Rayfield, Jos, Plateau State.
Delegates from community-based
organisations, faith-based organisations, youth organisations, and women
organisations from Adamawa, Bauchi, Benue, Borno, FCT, Gombe, Kaduna, Kebbi,
Kogi, Kwara, Nasarawa, Niger, Plateau, Taraba, and Yobe states attended as well
as notable leaders of opinion. The Summit noted that:
Ø
There is general anger and disappointment in our communities against the
current federal government, flowing from the sad reality that despite the huge
political investment by our people in installing the Goodluck Jonathan
administration in 2011, there has been no commensurate political patronage in
terms of projects and appointments. Rather, we have watched in awe as hostile
regions/personalities to Jonathan particularly in the north, attract, secure or
corner appointments and projects in the Jonathan administration.
Ø
It is obvious that as a result of the huge political investment of our
communities in 2011, our communities have been exposed to unimaginable genocide
and consequent untold hardship, while governments at the state and
federal levels have appeared indifferent to the suffering of our people;
Ø
As a result of the genocide, agriculture which hitherto has been the
mainstay of the Middle Belt and a major source of economic stability of our
people has been ruthlessly disrupted thereby laying the foundation for food
insecurity in the country at large.
Ø
Comparable to operations of the Janjaweeds during the slave trade era,
Fulani militias and Boko-Haram have ravaged and destroyed our communities,
attacking serene, quiet settlements in the Middlebelt thereby killing
thousands of people between 2011 to 2014 and sacking hundreds of villages and
thereby ensuring that our communities and people were displaced from their
regular homelands before the 2015 elections.
Ø
Although the Middlebelt has not been fairly treated by the Goodluck
Jonathan Administration, the alternative being projected by the opposition to
Goodluck Jonathan is not supportable by us as that alternative is, a clear
inspiration of the violence against our communities since 2011 that we have
repeatedly complained of.
Ø
If our people have been so single-mindedly targeted for genocide
at a time that the patrons of the Fulani militia and Boko Haram are not in
power, how much more would they be able to do should their patrons be put in
charge of the Federal Government of Nigeria?;
Ø
Although the federal government allegedly provided funds to state
governments to pay compensation to victims of the 2011 post-election violence,
it is clear that governors across the north circulated these funds to the
communities that perpetrated the violence/destruction and killings. The
churches and Christian victims have not been rebuilt nor has such compensation
been extended to families of victims.
The Summit acknowledges that
I.
In fairness to the Federal Government, the post of Group Managing
Director of NNPC has been occupied by Middle Belters since President Jonathan
was elected as President in 2011;
I.
Kashimbila Dam, which is designed to collect water from Lake Nyos to
save Nigeria from seasonal flooding, destruction of lives and property, is
about to be commissioned;
I.
Mambilla and Zungeru hydro-power dams have had contracts awarded and
ground-breaking ceremonies done.
I.
The Summit however observed that such appointments and project locations
were more of a fair recognition of EARNED MERITS, on the part of the appointee,
and rational exploitation of national resources in situ, in respect of the
project location policies, than politically conscious distribution of dividends
of democracy to us in recognition of our people`s massive political support.
II. The Summit further
went down memory lane to observe that in spite of the heavy sacrifices and
resource contributions of the Middle Belt Region to Nigerian national
development, viz:- that our youth sacrificed their blood to KEEP NIGERIA ONE;
that the Middle Belt is the bread basket of the nation; that our Region is the
nation`s source of solid minerals and hydroelectric power, among others, the
people of the Middle Belt have not benefited commensurately in terms of
development and political appointments.
The Summit therefore resolved as
follows:
Ø
No political party or candidate shall be given unconditional support by
the Middle Belt;
Ø
Upon careful consideration of the issues above, and the need to invest
in the safety and future stability of the Middle Belt, the Summit
resolved to support the candidature of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan in the
2015 Presidential Election on clearly articulated conditions that the
Secretariat of the MBD has been mandated to negotiate with THE PRESIDENT;
Ø
Delegates observed further that whereas the Middle Belt people have been
unhappy with the "kid gloves" with which President Goodluck Jonathan
has been treating the Islamist Boko Haram, the Middle Belt would be in a worse
situation under Muhammadu Buhari who openly said that the Islamist Boko Haram
who have been bombing churches, slitting the throats of women and children and
abducting innocent girls and turning them into sex slaves are "fighting
for justice";
Ø
Delegates also observed that Buhari who is the life Patron of Miyetti
Allah has not, even once, called to order the Fulani herdsmen who are rampaging
through the Middle Belt dispossessing our people of their land, raping women
and killing without compunction;
Ø
Delegates also noted that the people of the Middle Belt can therefore
not trust General Muhammadu Buhari's sense of justice because when he took over
government in 1983 he jailed opposition leaders, including the late leader of
the Middle Belt, Chief Solomon Lar, and left the leaders of the National Party
of Nigeria, NPN, to go scot free.
Ø
Delegates further observed that the political independence of our people
is too precious to be sacrificed in appeasing those who believe that our people
should not have access to political power.
Ø
The Summit therefore unanimously resolved that irrespective of our
political leanings,all ethnic nationalities should vote en mass and ensure the
success of President Goodluck Jonathan at the polls in the February 14,
Presidential Election. While we are obviously not completely satisfied with
Jonathan we will be eroding our freedom and would be paying/rewarding Boko
Haram by even remotely considering the possibility of voting for General
Muhammadu Buhari
Ø
The Summit further urged the Federal Government to deploy military
formations at strategic locations and flashpoints in the Middle Belt to protect
our people from possible violence that may be directed at them should the
outcome of the elections be unfavourable to the patrons of violence.
Signed
Hon. Aminu
Zang
Lanre Obafemi
Rima Shawulu Kwewum
Mark Jacob
Facilitator, Middle Belt Dialogue
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