The Northern Elders Forum (NEF) on Wednesday said although it was aware of efforts to weaken the North in the build-up to 2023 elections, the region would not be stampeded into agreeing to restructuring the country.
The forum also said it had credible information about an alleged plan to force restructuring on the North, under the guise of ending the agitation against bad governance in the country.
Its director of publicity and advocacy, Dr Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, in a statement on Wednesday night, said the North is capable of identifying and protecting its own interests and will neither be blackmailed nor intimidated into accepting restructuring as a means to higher standards of justice, better security and progress for all Nigerians.
The statement explained that in the aftermath of #EndSARS protests, some elements were deploying various tactics, including creating the impression that the North is opposed to restructuring along lines that will improve the quality of our union, ensure higher standards of justice, better security and progress for all Nigerians.
“The forum is aware of attempts to weaken the North by interests that believe that this is their only path to success in the 2023 elections.
“These interests should know that the North will neither be blackmailed nor intimidated, and we are quite capable of identifying and protecting our own interests.
“Some of these interests seek to exploit our plural nature and deepen what they see as divisions. They will fail because northerners know that what unites us is a lot stronger than what divides us.
“The North is ready to discuss all elements of our co-existence, but will not be stampeded into submitting to other interests who feel uncomfortable with a strong and united North, or blackmailing us to adopt their versions of our future,” it read.