Members of the Middle Belt Youth Council have said that the agenda of the North has always been to dominate the region and the South politically, stressing that the development has to change in the next general elections. The President of the Council, Emma Zopmal, who spoke to Punch on Sunday, stated that the northern elders had the right to aspire for an alliance with the South, adding that the Middle Belt can negotiate its own future.
“The core interest of the North has always been to dominate the Middle Belt and the South politically and in other aspects of national life. The North has ridden on the back of the Middle Belt to outplay the South in politics, but this trend will not continue for life. Middle Belt has come of age to bargain its share of the national responsibility independently.
No doubt, the meeting was attended by some people from the Middle Belt, but taking a close look at their political clouts in their respective constituencies, one will discover that they lack the capacity to drive home the Northern agenda in the areas they claim. Middle Belt has gone far ahead of them (northern elders) in solidarity with the South.
The friendship between Middle Belt and South is unquantifiable. If the North, under President Buhari, demonstrates an open injustice against Nigerians in the Middle Belt and the South, how then can they take the message of alliance to the South?
“Middle Belt is ready for the game. We work in the interest of the people, not selected individuals. Middle Belt and South pursue national interest not bias regional interest like that of Northern elite called Northern elders.”
