The former Minister of Information, Prof. Jerry Gana has warned those that consider the Middle Belt as part of the North, in the event that the country breaks up, to desist from doing so as the region will stand alone. The former Minister made this assertion on Sunday while making a presentation at St. Mathew's Church, Diocese of Anglican Communion, Maitama Abuja.
He warned Arewa youths to refrain from issuing ultimatum to Nigerians from other parts of the country to vacate the region, stressing that the unity of the country was not negotiable.
"They think when it comes to break-up, we will go along with the North. We have already told them that if they allow this country to break up, we are not going with the North. We are staying where we are. So, just take notice. If it comes to that, we will tell you that you are Arewa and we are ‘Middle-Belters.''
“We love Nigeria and it was changed to a federal system because of the minorities so that we can have a place. So, we love Nigeria but in the unlikely event that people want to go their way, the Arewa in the Sahel will go. But we will remain here in the Federal Republic of Nigeria”
Gana further berated Prof. Ango Abdullahi for allegedly supporting the ultimatum issued by Arewa youths.
"One of them, who also spoke is a former vice-chancellor. I thank God he didn’t sign my certificate. My own was signed by Prof. Ishaya Audu. How can a man of that stature, of that status, of that level of leadership, says he supports the youths in Kaduna to give to other legitimate citizens, an order to go? Who are you? Who says that?"
He added that “in this country, there are no second-class citizens. We are all first class. We are all sons and daughters of this land and that was why I decided to call a conference of all the minorities from 14 states and we had to state in clear words that the quit notice was totally unconstitutional. This is our home,” Gana said.
