Emmanuel Ukudolo
December 13, 2015 – The National Christian Elders Forum(NCEF) has called for full implementation of report of the National Conference even as the agitation for the Sovereign State of Biafra gains momentum in the South-west and other areas.
The NCEF made the remarks in a communique at the end of its meeting held in Plateau State. In the communique signed by its chairman, Mr. Solomon Asemota, SAN, the group noted that it made the call based on the fact that critical solutions required by the nation are contained in the National Conference report.
“National Christian Elders Forum call on the government to implement the Report of the National Conference and urge all Nigerians to raise a clarion call in this regard. It is in the best interest of Nigeria and all Nigerians that the Report of the National Conference is implemented in full”, the group said.
According to the communique, while the National Christian Elders Forum frowns at, and discountenances any move towards secession by any group in the nation, it firmly believes that the grievances of the agitators for Biafra Republic should be examined and that the people should be given a fair hearing.
“It was noted that since the return to democracy in 1999, there has been no such widespread agitation until now”, the group noted.
The group also frowned at what it described as appointment in key positions of security and judiciary in favour of certain part of the country and called for reverse of the situation.
“The Christian Elders wonder why in a divergent and pluralistic society, such as Nigeria, all the critical security institutions in the nation are headed by people from one section of the country. The Minister of Defense, the Director-General of Department of State Security (DSS), the National Security Adviser (NSA), and the Minister of Interior, are all from one section of the country and are adherents of the same religion. The Christian Elders decry the violation of the Federal Character principle in sensitive Federal appointments by the current administration. This discriminatory anomaly should be reversed without delay.
“ The Christian Elders also observe with much concern the impression that is created in the Judiciary that only persons from a section of the country are qualified to be the Chief Justice of the Federation. That the Nigerian Judiciary has been garrisoned by a section of the country and a religion is no longer in doubt, however, the dismantling of this anomaly is expedient. Nigeria can only survive and thrive on a tripod of Justice, Equality, and Fairness”, the group said.
