By Amos Tauna
The Southern Kaduna Peoples Union (SOKAPU), an ethnic pressure group in Northern Nigeria, says it supports the call by Middle-belt elders, asking for the establishment of 12 regions and 54 states in the country.
It noted that restructuring the country should not be viewed by Nigerians as a way of splitting the country, but a means of addressing the numerous agitations currently being made.
Speaking at a congress that had representatives from tribal associations, political parties, religious leaders and other professionals held at new choice hall Kafanchan, one of the speakers, Mr Samuel Tabara said Southern Kaduna people supports restructuring as the only way to amend the errors created by the colonial masters.
“We want the colonial arrangement to be redesigned. We identify with the Middle-belt elders, because that is where we belong,” Samuel said.
Also contributing on the debate, Nuhu Audu said Southern Kaduna must be moved out of North West region in the proposed restructuring to the North Central where the area originally belongs.
A youth leader in the region, Comrade Danjuma Bello Sarki said restructuring must come with a Southern Kaduna State to give the people a sense of belonging in the country.
While adopting the presentation of the Southern Kaduna people, the National President of SOKAPU, Barr Solomon Musa said the people of the area were desirous of a state in the proposed restructuring, adding that the area seeks to be in the North Central and not the North West region.
The Southern Kaduna people also agreed to float a private University and mandated the SOKAPU development committee to workout the possibilities of establishing the institution.