The Arewa Youth Consultative Forum (AYCF) has condemned the moves by the Federal Government to relocate some departments of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) to Lagos State, saying that it would undermine and erode nation’s unity.
The group explained that the relocations pose a significant threat to Abuja’s status as the federal capital city, and could have negative implications.
AYCF President General, Yerima Shettima, in a statement yesterday, raised the concerns about the potential consequences that could arise from the planned relocations, pointing out that “the move risks undermining national unity, disrupting operations, causing economic setbacks and perpetuating regional imbalances.”
According to Shettima, “Abuja was deliberately chosen as the capital to promote national unity and decentralise power. Any agenda that seeks to tamper with this arrangement will be fiercely resisted by AYCF and its supporters.”
Besides, Shettima expressed “disappointment with the complicit silence of the Northern elite regarding these provocations.”
“The Northern elite must not be silent when the political and economic viability of Northern Nigeria is at stake.” and well-meaning Nigerians should speak out against this emerging arbitrariness.
“The AYCF calls on the relevant authorities to reconsider these proposed relocations in light of the potential harm they may cause to Abuja’s status as the capital city and the nation as a whole. The organisation urges decision-makers to prioritise national unity and ensure that any actions taken do not perpetuate regional imbalances or compromise the political and economic viability of Northern Nigeria,” he added.
AYCF noted that its members would “remain committed to its mission of promoting unity and development in Northern Nigeria and the nation as a whole and vows to continue advocating for the preservation of Abuja’s status as the capital city and to resist any attempts to undermine national unity.”(Guardian)
