Nigeria Might Become Two-States-In-One If Action Is Not Taken – ACF Warns

The pan-northern socio-political organisation, Arewa Consultative Forum, on Tuesday has lamented that the country is gradually drifting into chaos.

The pan-northern body urged Nigerians to pray for divine intervention in the affairs of the land.

They stated that the combination of inflation, unemployment, rapid deterioration in standards of living and banditry faced by the average Nigerians were becoming unbearable.

The group shared their grievances at the National Executive Council meeting which was held at the 11A Sokoto Secretariat of the ACF, Kaduna on Tuesday.

A communique issued at the end of the one-day meeting by the National Publicity Secretary of the ACF, Prof. Tukur Muhammad-Baba, blamed the economic hardship on fuel subsidy removal, introduction of taxes and levies by the Federal Government, saying that these policies were responsible for rapid decline in living conditions of citizens.

Besides, the northern body cautioned government officials against recklessness in spending of public funds.

The Communique partly read, “With grave concern regrets and decries the continuing, the deterioration or escalation in the spate of insecurity-related incidents in all three geopolitical zones under which the northern states are grouped.

“These problems reflect on the region’s cascading political, social, economic challenges. NEC reiterates ACF’s earlier expressed position that the emergent protracted dimension of these problems, if untamed, are harbingers of citizens’ discontent, social chaos.

“Equally worrisome is the widening regional disparities in social demographic factors, such as access to education, health public, infrastructure, economic inclusion, political participation, living conditions, etc.

“Governments must move to curb such disparities so as to ensure that Nigeria does not become two-states-in-one. Factors that unify rather than divide citizens along any lines should attract the attention of all concerned, government and citizens alike.

“As it has severally reiterated in recent public outings, ACF calls for urgent action and definitive attention, by government at all levels, to confront rapid decline in living conditions of citizens.

“The addition of new taxes and levies becomes increasingly burdensome, too heavy to bear for ordinary Nigerians. The need for a roll out of public policy programmes and projects aimed at addressing low purchasing power challenges is clearly indicated.”