The Middle Belt Forum (MBF), Kaduna State chapter, says suspending the confirmation of the nominated Board members of the North West Development Commission will allow President Bola Tinubu to do what is just and fair.
The Senate plenary session of 19th November, 2024, had suspended the confirmation of the Board members of the North West Development Commission.
The chairman of the Middle Belt Forum, Kaduna State chapter, Mr Luka Binniyat in a statement on Sunday night stated, “We also thank the Senate for not kicking against the suspension of the exercise, probably feeling the tense atmosphere in Southern Kaduna and Southern Kebbi since the President made those one-sided nominations.
“We believe that the development is a result of garish and palpable unfairness against the large numbers of citizens in scores of Local Government Areas (LGAs) that are in the Middle Belt in Southern Kaduna and in Southern Kebbi.”
He pleaded with the Senators representing the Middle Belt in Southern Kaduna and Southern Kebbi to further intensify their lobby not only with their colleagues but with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Binniyat alleged, “This is also a wake up call to our top traditional leaders, top clergy, academics and leaders of thought from the Middle Belt, including our friends from outside to join their voices in pointing out to the President the shocking exclusion of Christians in the 10-man Board.”
The chairman wondered, “How can Kano and Jigawa states have two members each, while Southern Kaduna and Southern Kebbi, with a large Christian population, have no representation? Where is diversification and Federal Character principle represented here?”
He lamented that Southern Kaduna and Southern Kebbi had suffered genocidal herdsmen destruction and kidnappings since 2014, pointing out that fair resource allocation to ravaged areas was unlikely to reach them without any representation.
