The Niger Delta Ex-Agitators Forum (NDEF) has denounced constant attacks on any southern presidency by the north lamenting that such development is hampering the desire for justice and equity in the country.

Speaking in Port Harcourt, Rivers State on Thursday, August 22, the group’s chairman, Amb. Alban Paulinus, observed with dismay that the north had already resumed its political hostility against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to continue with the trend of discrediting any President from the south.

Paulinus, popularly known as General Skillar, said all the stakeholders in the South must stand together in solidarity with Tinubu insisting that the President was committed to evolving a better and more prosperous country.

He said the North stood behind the Presidency of Muhammadu Buhari despite the unimaginable state of insecurity and disastrous economic policies that characterized his administration.

Paulinus recalled that the North launched an attack on former President Goodluck Jonathan and ensured he was denied a second term.

He said: “A similar pattern is emerging with President Tinubu, as some Northern groups are already calling for his removal barely a year into his administration.

“This starkly contrasts with the attitude of northern leaders during the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari, who served two full terms despite significant security challenges.

“We decry this disparity as a destabilizing force that threatens the unity and integrity of Nigeria. We call for an immediate end to this trend of undermining Southern leadership,” he said.

Paulinus, who was accompanied by other ex-agitators drawn from different parts of the Niger Delta, said if the unwarranted provocation continued they would take decisive action to protect the South.

He said the forum would continue to show unequivocal support for President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, as a robust blueprint for national development.

He emphasised that the President’s commitment to comprehensive reforms was crucial for addressing the multifaceted challenges facing the country today.

Paulinus also recalled historical bias against Southern Senate Presidents, saying they systematically targeted for impeachment.

He cited the cases of former Senate Presidents from the South, such as Senator Evan Enwerem, Dr. Chuba Okadigbo, Anyim Pius Anyim, Adolphus Wabara, and Ken Nnamani, none of who were allowed to complete their tenures.

“In contrast, Northern Senate Presidents such as David Mark, Bukola Saraki, and Ahmed Lawan served their terms without significant challenges, he said.

Paulinus expressed worries over the recent calls for the impeachment of the current Southern Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, saying it was further evidence of the injustice against the South.

Paulinus warned that the ex-agitators would not tolerate such actions and vowed to resist any attempts to undermine Akpabio’s leadership with all means at their disposal.

He asserted that the Senate Presidency must symbolize national unity rather than being used as a tool for regional domination.

He said the forum demanded the establishment of a South-South Development Commission, arguing that the commission was necessary to ensure equity and justice in regional development, distinct from the existing Niger Delta Development Commission, (NDDC).

They called on Senator Akpabio and other federal legislators from the Southsouth to initiate and speed up the passage of a bill for the creation of the commission.

Paulinus urged politicians in the south, including the Southwest, Southeast, and Middle Belt to unite under a Southern Nigerian Movement (SNM).

“The movement will be dedicated to defending and advancing the political, economic, and regional interests of the South and Middle Belt in the face of mounting challenges.

“The unity and future of Nigeria depends on the equitable treatment of all its regions, and the Niger Delta stands ready to lead the charge for a just and prosperous nation,” he said. (The Nation)

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