Southwest Govs Flay Calls on Fulani Residents to Leave For North.

Governors in the Southwest states on Friday reacted to a statement credited to the Northern Elders Forum (NEF), asking persons of Fulani extraction resident in Southern parts to return to the north.

They described the claim as most unfortunate, divisive and retrogressive.

A statement personally signed by the Forum’s Chairman and Ondo state Governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu said:” With no intention to engage anyone, it is incumbent on us, as elected representatives of our people in the South West Region of the country, to denounce this divisive and retrogressive statement in the strongest terms possible.

“The Southwest Governors viewed the report with palpable trepidation and outrage, the sustained attempts to fan the ember of discord, seizing every opportunity offered by the current security challenge to undermine the unity and peaceful co-existence among Nigerians.”


Akeredolu added: “It is appalling, to assert the least, that the tragic incident, which claimed the life of Mrs. Funke Olakunrin, the daughter of Pa Fasoranti, the leader of Afenifere, would be used by certain persons to advance the cause of parochial and prebendal politics.

“We intend to get to the root of the sad occurrence as we await the findings of security agencies on the unfortunate incident.”

The chairman said the governors and the people of the South West are working, assiduously, at the current security challenges with a view to finding lasting solutions to curtail the nefarious activities of undesirable elements bent on wrecking our collective peace.

He said:” We are not unaware of the antics of certain elements, who hope to garner political mileage from the contrived crises in virtually all parts of the country.

“We are equally convinced that this confusion serves the narrow interests of some persons.