Northern Governors Forum on Monday 27th September, pulled the trigger and challenged the Southern Governors to a battle of leadership and political supremacy, by unequivocally opposing two major demands of the people of Southern Nigeria, namely; collection of Value Added Tax (VAT) as a prelude to the actualization of fiscal federalism, and zoning of Presidency to the South in 2023.
Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau State, who is also the Chairman of NGF, conveyed the decision of the forum to Nigerians at a press conference after the governors meeting. He said valued added task must remain in the exclusive list while zoning of Presidency to Southern Nigeria in 2023, cannot fly because it negates relevant sections of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, as amended.
Lalong’s voice was clear, loud and firm when he said that Northern Governors views power rotation as an aberration and therefore cannot be discussed as far as 2023 presidential election is concerned.
That said, let me state clearly some other issues that the governors of Northern Nigeria, will abhor perpetually as we commence the journey to free Nigeria from the firm grip of the Northern oligarchy. First, is Fiscal Federalism. The North is aware that they cannot survive without the huge resources in Southern Nigeria; oil money, huge revenue from VAT, etcetera.
It is on record that 98% of oil wells in Nigeria are owned and controlled by members of the Northern oligarchy, for themselves and for multinational companies they front for. To secure the wealth of South, the North will never support Fiscal Federalism; oil money, VAT, etcetera.
The grip on Southern wealth is further revealed in the dirty politics surrounding financial misappropriation at the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, wherein the federal government and the Northern oligarchy determines those to be appointed into the board of the commission, who gets what in terms of juicy contracts, and so on and so forth.
The Northern power block is also aware that decentralisation of VAT collection will further reduce their monthly earnings because substantial amount of proceeds from VAT is generated in Southern Nigeria. While the North prohibits alcohol under Sharia Law, it is okay for them to share from the proceeds from VAT on alcohol consumption in the South. You can see that the Northern oligarchy had over the years shortchanged the South beyond human comprehension.
It is crystal clear that the Northern region will become extremely poor and may come cap in hand begging the South for financial assistance should fiscal federalism be entrenched in our Constitution. And this is the reason why the Governors of Northern Nigeria, will do anything and everything possible to oppose power shift to the South in 2023.
The Northern oligarchy, especially the Hausa Fulani power block cannot afford to project power rotation in favour of Southern Nigeria, in the face of growing agitations for resource control, self determination by IPOB and refusal of Southern Governors to support the RUGA project for Fulani herdsmen domiciled in Southern Nigeria.
The fears of the Northern oligarchy is further heightened by state laws in Southern region prohibiting open grazing and arms bearing by Fulani cattle businessmen and their agents. It is therefore obvious that Southern Governors will have to either dance to the tune of Northern Governors or commence a process that would free Southern Nigeria, from the glaring oppressive tactics of the Sokoto caliphate and Northern oligarchy.
It is strongly recommended that the Southern Governors Forum, must never play the second fiddle, as far as zoning of Presidency to the South in 2023 is concerned. This is the time for politucal leaders in Southern Nigeria to prove that they cannot be coerced to submission by the overbearing political rascality of the Northern oligarchy.
Politics is a game of numbers, alignment and realignment. It is obvious that the Northern oligarchy see themselves as first class citizens of this country, while the people of Southern Nigeria are second class citizens, as can be deduced from recent pronouncements, body language of the Northern elites, as well as actions and inactions of President Muhammadu Buhari and the APC national government, in addressing the agitation for regional government, resource control and state police.
The bottom line is that the North cannot survive without the huge oil revenue and VAT collected in Southern Nigeria by the federal government largely controlled by Northern power block under the Hausa Fulani hegemony. And for how long will the Northern region continue to oppress and impoverish the people of Southern Nigeria, the goose that lay the golden egg? Over to Southern Governors and political leaders! You must not blink until the battle is won.
The time to decide the destiny of the people of Southern Nigeria in the national scheme of things is now, and we are solidly behind our governors in their resolve to do anything and everything legitimate to free the oil rich region from the oppressive tactics and socioeconomic manipulations by the Sokoto caliphate and the Northern Californiaoligarchy. On true fiscal federalism and power shift to Southern Nigeria in 2023, we stand.
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The writer: Dr Fred Latimore Oghenesivbe, is a political communication strategist, lawyer and Executive Assistant to the Governor of Delta State on Communi jump.