ACF, Middle Belt congratulate Goodluck, condemn violence

After the meeting of its national working committee on Tuesday chaired by Alhaji Aliko Mohammed, the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), issued a communiqué congratulating  President Jonathan Goodluck for his victory at the last polls.

Also, the Middle Belt Dialogue (MBD) in a Press Statement Wednesday congratulated President Goodluck, over what it said was a well deserved victory.
Both bodies condemned the violence that visited the announcement of the Presidential result in the North, with the MBD, saying it has, “once more revealed the ruse of one North in Diversity.”
“The ACF wishes to congratulate the Presiding-elect, Dr Goodluck Jonathan over the victory in the general elections. The forum also congratulates all the state governors, members of the national assembly, as well as the state houses of assembly for their successes. ACF wishes to congratulate INEC chairman, Dr Attahiru Jega for conducting elections that had been adjudged by local and international observers to be better than previous elections”, the ACF said in the Communiqué.
“Towards this end, the leadership is expected to have the realistic appreciation of its emergence and make consciously direct efforts by bringing Nigerians together and enable them to unleash their synergy by way of living up their collective challenges.
While, condemning the killings of some NYSC members who were victims of the violence in some parts of the country, the ACF said, it was the considered opinion of the Forum that the NYSC scheme should not be abolished.
In turn, the MBD in its Press Release signed by Rima Shawulu, the Facilitator of the Group, congratulated the President, saying, “Nigerians have no doubt voted for the man who would lead them to the promised land evident from the election results where he not only scored majority of the votes cast in the length and breadth of Nigeria, but secured the mandatory 25 per cent in 31 States of the federation as required by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria”.
“The MBD, also wants to use this opportunity to condemn in strong terms the unprovoked, heinous mass murder of Nigerians resident in many parts of Northern Nigeria.
“The people of Middle Belt extraction, and Southerners, including Churches are always hard hit by this serial murderers in number of times too numerous to recall.
“The MBD wants the Federal Government to take the issue of security much more serious this time, by first bringing the perpetrators of this evil to justice.
“The violence in the north has called to question the ruse of “one north in diversity”, as it clearly shows the level of intolerance and hate that the North has against the Middle Belt and Southerners.
“As the region that cements Nigeria together, we will continue to pursue for the peace, progress and unity of one Nigeria.
“The Middle Belt Dialogue is made up of all ethnic nationalities of Northern Nigeria, including Hausa and Fulani whose culture and Faith make them a minority in their states of origin”, Shawulu explains.