Musa Saidu, Chairman of the Arewa Consultative Forum in Rivers State and Southern Nigeria, expressed disappointment over the non-representation of northerners in the State.
He lamented that northerners were not represented in the recent appointment of Commissioners, with an Igbo man from Abia State being the only non-Rivers State indigene on the list.
in an interview with The Guardian, Saidu condemned the persistent marginalization of Northerners in the State, and called on Governor Siminalayi Fubara to reverse the trend and ensure inclusivity in his government.
The Northern leader criticized Fubara’s government for being “entirely partial” against Northerners, accusing him of only favouring the Igbo community.
His words: “The biggest problem we are facing is because the government does not give us contracts. They pass through the Muslim community and these people in turn give us small.
“Since Governor Siminalayi Fubara held sway, we have not benefited anything, we did not see rice, we did not see appointment and the marginalisation has continued from the Nyesom Wike era.
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“We did not do bad to Governor Fubara. What we are seeing is that the policy of Wike has continued. We do not have any representative in the Rivers State Government House on behalf of the North.
“I am the only Elected leader and head of the Traditional Council. What I am saying is that the marginalisation has continued.
“We are calling on Fubara to reverse the marginalization of the Northerns in Rivers State and I have reported this matter to Chief Edwin Clarke that we are still marginalized.”
He called on the Governor not to, by his actions, create a divide in the Northern community, accusing him of sowing “deep animosity” amongst them.
“I am also calling on the governor not to divide our people. We did not stop the governor from appointing Commissioners but he should not do that on behalf North community without meeting the legitimate leadership.
“Until we see the governor and sit with him because we feel that the Governor is not running an all-inclusive government, his government is entirely partial against Northerns. He is only carrying the Igbos along because if he puts an Edo man I would have hope.
“Our position is that we are supporting him as governor because if Rivers State progresses we will progress,” he added.
