National Dialogue: NGO rallies support for Southern Governors
Justice and Equity for Peace and Unity Initiative (JEPUIN), a Non-Governmental Organisation, has expressed satisfaction with the outcome of the May 11 Southern Governors meeting to address challenges in the nation.
JEPUIN, in a statement on Sunday in Lagos, appealed to the Northern Governors to also meet urgently to endorse their Southern compatriots on the way forward for better, stable Nigeria based on rule of law.
The statement signed by JEPUIN Chairman, Mr Saminu Turaki; its Deputy, Mr Raymond Dokpesi and Mr Tony Uranta, Executive Secretary appealed to Nigerians to support the governors.
The statement assured that if the recommendations from the Southern Governors meeting were implemented, it would go a long way to douse the tension in the country.
It advised all state governors to unite and adopt proactive measures toward implementation of the resolutions for the good of the country and its citizens.
The statement commended the governors on the calls for restructuring, state police, review of revenue allocation formula and creation of other laws and institutions to enthrone practice of true federalism.
“JEPUIN posits that the call for yet another national conference is not necessary, since the robust report consensually endorsed by all delegates to the 2014 National Conference is a very logical and germane template for the study and updating of Nigeria’s Modus Vivendi.
“This will be seen by citizens as a genuine move to work out how Nigeria’s ethnic nationalities can live peacefully with each other, without incurring unnecessary cost-burden on our evidently less sound economy compared to the 2014 economy,” it stated.
The group in the statement also aligned with the recommendations of the southern governors on the urgent need to review federal appointments and recruitments into government and security agencies to respect the nation’s diversity.
“Nigeria’s overall population is heterogeneous and the principle of federal character will go a long way to assuage the disenchantment of different nationalities of the nation with the current status quo.
“The affirmation of the governors that the people of Southern Nigeria remain committed to the unity of Nigeria on the basis of justice, fairness, equity, oneness and peaceful co-existence between and among its peoples with a focus on the attainment of shared goals for economic development and prosperity is fully in line with the vision and mission of JEPUIN.
“The affirmation urges all Nigerians of goodwill to work with all the constituted authorities to achieve this,” it noted.
The statement further advised all Nigerians, irrespective of political, ethnic, religious or industrial affiliations to support the southern governors move to birth a new era for an equitable nation where no one was oppressed.
The group in the statement prayed for God’s mercies and wisdom on political leaders and the wisdom to make the right decisions to restore peace and tranquility in Nigeria.
