- rallies members for APC membership registration
By Olanrewaju Adesanya
The Acting Chairman Arewa Community in All Progressive Congress (APC) Lagos State,
Alhaji Saadu Yusuf and other stakeholders of the northern extractions, have urged members to unite and help make the membership drive attempt of the party a successful one.
Saadu made the call at a press parley held Tuesday in Lagos, to sensitize members on the need to troupe out enmasse for the revalidation of their membership status, while calling on others with no party affiliations to join the winning team.
” We AREWA united let us mobilize our people to get registered as members of the All Progressive Congress as decided by the national leader of our great party, let’s make this internal exercise a huge success.
“This major exercise will help us update and revalidate our membership base.”
He unequivocally stated that the AREWA structure from the ward, local government and state level will team up to make the process seamless.
Adding that the overall intendment of the process is to grow the membership base from the grassroots level.
“We owe our state and national leadership the duty as their success is our collective success. All politics is local and so I call on all AREWA people in the party that APC is the party to beat.
“However I urge our people not in the party to join the moving train.”
He talked about the blessings inherent in the diverse nature of Nigeria, as a pertinent factor for why peace must be maintained at all cost.
Saadu also touch on the National Identity Number NIN policy as a veritable one by Federal government, which everybody must key into to help the security architecture of the country.
“It will assist our security agencies in nibbling at the bud issue of banditry, cattle rustling, kidnapping and others, we are calling on all law abiding citizens to get registered for the NIN.
“We also call on Southwest leaders that the move to evict the Fulani people from the zone by Chief Sunday Igboho, is not constitutional and tantamount to create anarchy in the land, as a criminal remains a criminal anywhere and they should be treated as such.
Umar Adamu Daura, Secretary, Arewa Community, APC Lagos in his own view noted that many efforts are already in top gear to ensure peace amongst the farmers and herdsmen in the Southwest.
“The Seriki Fulani has toured the whole of Southwest in search of peace between farmers and herdsmen, from Kwara,Oyo,Ogun and Ondo State
“On Sunday he was there to pacify them on the need not to create tension as the security of this country remain paramount.
Though we know they have been attacking innocent fellows, matured men should guide the grazing animals, they should avoid intake of alcohol or drugs in order to calm the system down we have put measures in place”.
Sulaiman Bala, Secretary Arewa Council of Chiefs, Lagos added that, most of the affected are normads whose existence dates back in history, but for the climate change had to move to more clement environment, the backlash of which we are experiencing.
He advocated for incentives to the people concerned to help them live a normal life,”the issue of open grazing is gone for good, civilisation and urbanization has changed the narrative, government has to intervene to give the affected people respite, like it is done in other sector “.
Salisu Danjuma Gezawa, Chairman of Voice of Arewa, opined that Nigerians have to accept unity, and embrace the RUGA policy as introduced by President Buhari, noting that it is the most sincere thing to do.
According to him ranching is an idea now prevalent in other climes, though vehemently kicked against by the Southwest, Southeast and Southsouth government.
“Ranching is the best thing we can do. If the Southern parts refuses let them take it where there are lands in the north so there will be peace.”