The umbrella body of the North, Arewa Consultative Forum, has asked President Goodluck Jonathan not to tolerate the excesses of South-South leader, Chief Edwin Clark, to avoid ruling over a divided people.
The National Publicity Secretary, ACF, Anthony Sani, in an interview with our correspondent on Friday, also challenged those who accused Jonathan of signing a one-term pact with the North to provide proof.
Sani said, "When people allege that the presidency is attempting to polarise the North across ethnic and religious lines, it is because the presidency's place in the order of things as father of the nation is to provide order and direction in the polity.
"And because the buck stops on the table of the president, a situation whereby Chief Edwin Clark would lead leaders of southern and northern minority Christians for courtesy call on the presidency should not be encouraged, more so when they endorsed Mr. President two years before 2015.
"It also comes at a time when the President, the Independent National Electoral Commission, ACF and many other groups and individuals have advised against such early start of politics of 2015 on the grounds that such early start is capable of heating up the polity and distract those in government."
The ACF spokesman noted that the security challenges facing the nation demanded that the whole nation be brought together to collectively confront insecurity.
The forum also said the Presidency might be interested in the divisions in the Nigeria Governors' Forum and the Northern States Governors' Forum, as it had yet to take visible steps on the crises.
"It falls within the purview of Mr. President to bring the nation together and help the people unleash their synergistic potential for public good. This is because no president can preside over a divided people and expect to succeed. That is why he is expected to be ecumenical in his handling of the aftermath of the elections by the Nigeria Governors' Forum.
"And when he is not seen doing so visibly, it is hard to avoid the conclusion that the presidency is interested in the divisions in both NGF and NSGF," he said.
While reacting to a former Minister of Defence, Gen. Theophilus Danjuma's recent allegation that the northern leadership had failed the region, Sani blamed the electorate that gave them power.
"We cannot blame only the leaders but also the citizens who exercise their franchise and vote the leaders. And so, the quality of leaders reflect the judgment of voters on the election day," he said.
The Punch