Forum of All Progressive Congress , APC, North-Central, has called for the adoption of a regional system of government in Nigeria, saying it is in the interest of each region to solve its own problems according its needs using what is available or what it has advantage over another region.
This position was made known by the Forum’s Chairman, Alhaji Saleh Mandung Zazzaga, in Jos, the Plateau State capital.
Zazzaga said that the North Central region has significantly contributed to the nation in terms of agriculture, education, natural resources, and political leadership.
He pointed out that despite the contributions, the region has faced longstanding marginalisation.
He said the North Central region, known as the nation’s food basket with substantial agricultural produce from Benue, Plateau, Niger, and Kogi, is not fully utilized at the national level to ensure food security.
He added that the region’s natural resources, such as tin, remain underutilised for economic prosperity.
Zazzaga further noted that since the start of the democratic dispensation in 1999, the North Central has played a vital role in the growth of democracy and the emergence of national leaders, including presidents.
However, the region continues to be marginalized in political appointments, exemplified by the recent contentious allocation of the APC National Chairmanship position to the North West.
“So, after careful consideration of how marginalized we have been in this nation despite our endowments and contributions to national development, we the North Central APC Forum are calling for the regional system of government.
“Since the regional system of government is a political framework where power is divided among constituent political units, such as regions or states, we are therefore calling for the adoption of such a system so that each region in the nation can use their endowments to develop themselves, without any fear of marginalization
“Also, the federal government would still be responsible for matters such as national security, foreign affairs, and regulation of interstate or inter-region commerce, while the regions would have powers to administer their respective regions,” he said.
Zazzaga said as loyal APC leaders, they have been working for the success of the North Central region and have collaborated with leaders of other parties and stakeholders from the region in this regard, irrespective of ethnoreligious or political affiliations
He explained that using their forum to project the North Central region is legitimate, pointing out that even among the governors, legislators and local government chairmen, there are party or regional forums to push for their common interest.
