LEON USIGBE writes on the recent visit of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leaders and stakeholders in the North-Central to President Goodluck Jonathan, at the Presidential Villa, where they briefed him on the situation in the zone.

PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan recently, in House 7 of the Presidential Villa, played host to the leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the North-Central, comprising Plateau,  Kogi, Benue, Nasarawa, Niger and Kwara states, led by a former National Chairman of the party, Dr. Ahmadu Ali, on a solidarity mission and to express their appreciation over the present administration’s efforts to develop the zone so far and reposition the country for greatness.

They also came with an assurance that in spite of the noise about the defection of some party members to the opposition, the PDP remained largely intact and still the party of choice in the area, judging by the turnout of the party stakeholders for the solidarity visit and the huge crowds witnessed in the recent rallies in Ilorin and Minna. Ali spoke specifically about the dividends of democracy and good governance being enjoyed by the zone under the present dispensation, listing as its achievements the Greater Markurdi Water Supply Scheme (executed in collaboration with Benue State government); Geregu II Thermal Power Plant in Kogi; Geregu/Abuja Transmission Line, Gurara Phase II Hydro Power Plant in Niger; Mangu Water Treatment Plant in Plateau; ongoing Zungeru/Wushishi Water Supply project, Kontagora/Auna dam, Kampe/Omi dam in Kogi, among others.

On road projects, the leader of delegation noted the ongoing dualisation of the Abaji-Lokoja road, Auchi-Okene-Lokoja and Suleja-Minna roads; rehabilitation of Obajana-Kabba-Ilorin Road; Jebba Bridge in Kwara; Oturpko-Oweto road in Benue, Sokoto-Jega-Kontagora-Makera Road and the Langtan-Lalin-Tokus-Shedam Road. Others included the rehabilitation of Jebba Bridge in Niger; Vandekiya-Obudu Cattle Ranch road; Loko-Oweto Bridge; Lubeko Bridge in Niger state, and so on, which he said had impacted positively on the people of the North-Central. However, he observed that despite the dredging of the River Niger up to Baro in Niger State, not even a single ship had been seen ferrying people or goods from the coast to the hinterland, saying, therefore, that the project needed sustenance.

He also mentioned the rehabilitation of railway lines and the construction of new standard gauge lines, some of which transverse the North-Central, expressing confidence that when completed, they would boost the economic activities of the people and open the states to limitless opportunities and new markets.

The former party boss also spoke on agriculture strides recorded in the zone, especially in rice production and processing; cement development; tackling education imbalance with the establishment of 12 new universities, including two in the North-Central; almajiri education policy; integrating Islamic education into western education and removing Northern children from the streets, among others. Ali, however, noted that something needed to be done about the Ajaokuta Steel Project, which, he said, had been sabotaged several times even though it was the key to the real industrialisation of the country. Similarly, the party leaders wanted more action on the solid mineral deposit, which abound in the zone, which they said could be explored for power generation in the country.

Governor Gabriel Suswam of Benue, who spoke on behalf of the zone, harped on the seriousness of the cattle Fulani insurgency in the North-Central and how the militants might have targeted the zone in order to derail the people’s ability to deliver huge number of votes to President Jonathan since the area was seen as his support base in the North.

He warned that as the 2015 elections drew near, the insurgents were gradually displacing people to reduce the number that could vote for the president, but informed that from his interaction with leaders of Fulani cattle herders, the attackers marauding in the North Central were not indigenous Fulanis but foreign invaders and therefore wanted the president to do all that was within his powers to check the menace.

The governor said: “We are all worried because election is at hand. Most of your strong areas where we will bring millions of votes for you are being decimated and people have moved en masse. In Benue, in Kogi, in Nasarawa and in Plateau, we have a large chunk of refugees who you have graciously sent relief materials to. It is not your intention to be sending relief materials, it is your intention to be providing infrastructure to your people but these evil people are trying to mess that up.”

Suswam was also of the view that such attacks might have been orchestrated by neighbouring countries that were probably not happy about the progress Nigeria was making, adding, “I think the fact that we are peaceful, a lot of our neighbours are not happy and we must be ready because we are being, to some large extent, invaded in our country by people that are not known to us.”  Warning of the extent of destruction the attackers have brought to the region, Suswam remarked: “Virtually all the states in the zone are affected by the activities of the herdsmen in quote.We believe that it is not just the Fulani herdsmen that are doing what they are doing in the zone but some insurgents who are camouflaging as Fulani men.

“Because the Fulani men that we all know and we have lived with are part and parcel of the North-Central. We know that they carry sticks and at times, few of them carry dane guns to catch bush meat for Tiv people.

“But Mr President, what we have witnessed lately are well- trained people, who are trained to kill and destroy and the manner of destruction is so massive and is unimaginable. The North-Central is very worried. The states being mostly affected is Plateau, Nasarawa and Benue.  That is not to say that other states are not affected.”

Senate President, David Mark, recalled that the North-Central zone was the first to endorse Jonathan for president in 2011, when others were skeptical, reluctant or not sure. Noting the role the zone has played at every stage of the nation’s development, he said: “That are why when it was time for us to look for a man who had all the qualities and capabilities to lead Nigeria, North-Central was the first to endorse you and give our support in 2011 election.”

He went on to assure that the zone would again support Jonathan in the coming election and urged him to reciprocate the gesture by paying more attention to their infrastructural needs while showing commitment in the exploration of oil and gas in the region.