Coalition of Northern Groups has dissociated itself from a
statement credited to a certain Arewa Coalition which alleged that the Yoruba
nation was imposing the Acting President, Yemi Osinbajo on the nation, warning
that any statement not credited to its leaders must not be linked to it.
A statement issued by the group’s spokesman, Abudl-Azeez
Suleiman on Thursday stated that, “Our attention has been drawn to a statement
by a certain Arewa Coalition in which the Acting President Yemi Osinbajo and
the Yoruba were derogated.
“While we state that the Coalition of Northern Groups, CNG,
is not in anyway connected to that statement or the group that made it, we call
on the public to beware of people and groups currently engaged to distract our
noble course.
“We restate here that the name of our group is Coalition of
Northern Groups, CNG, and advise that any statement not coming from our
spokesperson, Abdul-Azeez Suleiman or Amb. Shettima Yerima or N. A. Shariff,
should not be linked to us.
“While we affirm our commitment to the peaceful pursuit of
the contents of the Kaduna Declaration, we wish to restate our unshaking
respect for, and loyalty to Nigerian authorities and institutions.
“We also state that we hold no grudge against the person of
the Acting President who is diligently discharging the burden duly entrusted in
him by Mr President.
“Similarly, we do not habour any ill-will against the Yoruba
or any Nigerian tribe for that matter as it is not in the character of the
cultured North to do so.
“For further clearance, our struggle is principally to
ensure that those seeking to leave Nigeria are given the chance to exercise
their fundamental right as entrenched in various international treaties to
which Nigeria is a signatory.
“Specifically, we feel concerned by the style of the
agitation for Biafra which is punctuated by threats of war and violence.”
By Amos Tauna
