The Statement by the Northern Senators in the National Assembly raising concerns over the planned relocation of some federal agencies from Abuja to Lagos and accusing President Bola Tinubu of bias in the distribution and allocation of resources in the 2024 budget, has sparked conflicts among Nigerians from different stripes.
In a statement on Monday by the spokesman of the Northern Senator, ,Senator Kawu Sulaiman Sumaila, representing Kano South senatorial district on the New Nigeria Political Party,NNPP, platform, the Senators condemned the relocation, claiming that it was unnecessary.
“As representative of the people at the national level, we are committed to addressing the concerns and feelings of our constituents regarding certain decisions and policies put forth by the federal government – lopsidedness in the distribution and allocation of resources in the 2024 budget, relocation of some federal agencies from Abuja to Lagos ‘, the statement read.
“We understand the importance of fostering a harmonious relationship between the government and its citizens, and it is in this spirit that we are announcing our collective efforts to seek an amicable resolution to these pressing issues, within the confines of our constitution and existing laws.
“Let us assure our constituents that we have taken their concerns seriously and are actively engaging with our colleagues in order to address these matters effectively. We firmly believe in the power f open dialogue and collaboration to bring about positive change for our nation.”, the senators said
They encouraged everyone to be calm assuring that they will engage the executive branch of the government in effective communication in order to bring about the desired change in the interest of all.
The Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, had in an internal memo in the past week announced plans to transfer some of the departments to Lagos state in a bid to decongest the bank’s headquarters in Abuja
Also, the minister of aviation, Festus Keyamo, had following in the same stead ordered the relocation of the head quarters of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, from Abuja to Lagos, on the excuse that they will better serve the country.
In a swift reaction to the position of the Northern Senators, South-South leader, Chief Edwin Clark, in a report by the Vanquard newspapers claimed that there was nothing wrong with the planned relocation and warned the North against provoking people’s anger
“There is nothing wrong with relocating some departments of the CBN to Lagos. Who did they consult when they moved the Navy to Kano, when they brought the Shippers House and the Nigeria Maritime Authority, NMA, to Abuja before former President Olusegun Obasanjo moved them to Lagos?
“Northerners should realise that Abuja does not belong to them, it belongs to everyone, hence they are fighting Nyesom Wike because they believe that FCT belongs only to them, they are 19 states, others are 17, the place is for all of us.
“Let us stay in peace, the Northern senators and Northerners should not provoke anyone. Abuja belongs to all and that explains why we said that the head offices of Shell, Chevron, Agip, others should be where the oil is coming from, like in Delta, Eket, others.”