THE conscious and patriotic Nigerians especially millions of Northerners are carefully watching in amazement your decision to fully relocate major departments of the Central Bank of Nigeria from the Abuja headquarters to the former headquarters in Lagos.
While we are trying to ponder over this calculated act of “weakening the North” to empower the South; you further authorised the instant relocation of the Headquarters of Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) from Abuja to Lagos.
Your Excellency, we demand for an immediate explanation of these attempts to cripple the North. Moving these institutions further strengthen Lagos and weaken the Federal Capital Territory. We thought this is the time to heal, renew, rebuild and unite Nigeria.
When you move Banking Supervision, other Financial Institutions Supervision, Consumer Protection Department, Payment System Management Department, and Financial Policy Regulations Department to Lagos, you’ve systematically made CBN Headquarters Abuja almost useless.
Your Excellency, the Northern people are frustrated by this, especially because of the long suspicious allegation that you will indirectly move back the FCT to Lagos as a perfected agenda. We are watching and analyzing and this won’t just go without political consequences. This has further raised questionable marks on the impacts of the Vice President, all Senators, Reps and Ministers of Northern origin.
We are aware of the plans to systematically relocate more institutions to Lagos which will further provoke more Nigerians and unavoidably establish an atmosphere of suspicion, regional sectionalism and dampen the image of this administration. We hope that whatever plan is ongoing by whoever is executing it will be halted immediately and be reversed unconditionally.
Lagos is not the center of Nigeria. How do you expect married women and the physically challenged staff from the North to cope with the to and fro in and out of Lagos just to work in a location that is supposed to be in the Federal Capital?. As representatives of our Youth across the 19 Northern states, we will keep an eye closely to this coordinated agenda.
Your Excellency should note that, we forever remain committed to the unity, progress and prosperity of Nigeria especially where justice and fairness is at play, we come in peace; hoping you’ll act swiftly.
Zaid Ayuba Alhaji.
President, Arewa Youth Consultative Council (AYCC).
