By Blessing Otobong-Gabriel
The Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG), has insisted on its strong demand that under no circumstance should France or any other foreign power be given any concessionary rights to build or establish an expeditionary military base in any part of the country.
The National Coordinator, CNG, Comrade Jamilu Aliyu Charanchi, disclosed this at a press briefing in Abuja that CNG, is compelled by a deep sense of patriotic duty to strongly protest and alert Nigerians on the contemplated unconstitutional and indefensible action taken recently by the government, in granting alleged permission to France, a belligerent and notorious imperialist power, to establish an expeditionary military base in Nigeria.
Charanchi informed, “This is was linked with reported case of bilateral agreement signed between Nigeria and France, giving her unrestricted access to our nation’s huge Mineral resources.
He said, since the inception of the Bola Ahmad Tinubu’s administration, Nigerians have been witnessing the open and behind the scenes diplomatic manoeuvrings, being deftly orchestrated at the top level of officialdom, with the misleading intention to surrender the supremely precious sovereignty of our dear nation, to France.
CNG recall with trepidation, that, barely a year following his swearing into the highly coveted presidency of our beloved country, the same bellicose European nation was fingered as being the inveterate promoter and tireless sponsor of the dismemberment of ECOWAS and the then perceptible war atmosphere generated by this subterfuge, that enveloped the hitherto peaceful West African sub-region.
According to him, It took the collective wisdom and uncommon display of Pan Africanism by some renowned statesmen and millions of concerned citizens, to miraculously quench the incendiary fire ignited by France, in her desperate bid to continue the objectionable subjugation of its rebellious former French speaking colonies in the region, in neocolonial servitude, using Nigeria as a willing tool.
“It should also not escape our elephantine memory, that, it was this same France that so boisterously spearheaded the stiff resistance of some powerful western nations against the imminent take-off of the West African common currency”.
“With all these calamitous catalogues of French imperial meddlesomeness in Africa, it beggars’ belief, that our country, Nigeria, which has a rich and proud record of championing the cause of the black people anywhere in the world and an undisputed leader of the African people, could suddenly stoop so low as to be ordered around, in a manner reminiscent of the abhorrent and detestable behavior of conquered people”.
“We refuse to accept and hereby wish to defiantly reaffirm, that, having so sufficiently equipped ourselves with the armory of the above stated indisputable historical facts and in the light of the yet another abhorrent reality prevalent, especially in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Burundi where the rich mineral resources of these two great African nations are pitilessly plundered by France in particular, it is our very firm resolve and implacable determination to use all constitutional and democratic means, to militantly resist any attempt by this government, to invite France or any other foreign power, in order to establish a military base in any part of our beloved country”.
It is beyond doubt, that the constitution of our dear country has adequate provisions on the laid down procedures that must be strictly adhered to, in handling sensitive matters such as this, but which for reasons best known to this government, it becomes flagrantly convenient for them to ignore and even trample underfoot.
We hardly need to restate, that, currently not less than five (5) former French speaking colonies from the West African sub-region, made up of Niger, Mali, Burkina Fasso, Senegal and Tchad, have all wisely taken the bold and courageous sovereign decision to expel France and revoke the iniquitous agreement granting it permission to establish expeditionary military bases in their respective countries. Many years of colonial control and systematic pillage of their natural and human resources, have left these countries with no other alternative than to throw away the shackles being imposed on them by France.
“It is therefore inexplicable, that, with all these happenings right at our door steps, that this government, totally oblivious of this palpable reality, unilaterally opted to plunge its doors wide open to flaunt its morbid romance to our horrors, which inevitably seems to now culminate in the ill-advised sleeping with the enemy.
“We would like to reassure ourselves, that, our dear President is very intimately aware of the raging issue of insecurity ravaging particularly the Northern part of our dear country, which is mostly being characterized by armed banditry, insurgency, kidnappings, inter-ethnic and communal clashes and youths restiveness and thus; cannot afford to initiate any unwise policy or undertake any action, that by any stretch of imagination, could undermine the ongoing collective efforts by our military and security forces to restore peace and stability in our dear fatherland”.
CNG National Coordinator therefore called on Senators and Honorable members of the national Assembly to stand firm and united in defense if our nation’s sovereignty and the freedom of our people.
