Prof. Ango Abdullahi: Northern Union leader

The Northern Union, a Civil Society Organisation, on Wednesday said it was organising the 5th commemorative lecture in honour of late Dr Abubakar Saraki.

Briefing newsmen in Abuja, the Chairman of the union, Prof. Ango Abdullahi said the lecture would have President Mohammadu Buhari as the special guest of honor, according to the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN.

He said the lecture would provide fresh ideas on the future of Nigeria in the global community and on the unresolved issues surrounding the unity of the country.

Abdullahi said the late Saraki was an advocate of one and indivisible Nigeria who used his office as the then Senate leader to unite his fellow lawmakers.

He said the late Saraki spent his political life in the struggle for a united and indivisible Nigeria.

The professor said the need for fresh ideas on the unity of Nigeria have become necessary as the nation seemed to be polarized along ethnic, religious and regional cleavages.

He said while some were calling for restructuring as panacea for the continuous existence of Nigeria, others are of the view that the unity of Nigeria is not negotiable.

The don said though the issue of Nigeria’s indivisibility might have been addressed in the 1999 Constitution as amended, there are factors that must be considered given the persistent agitations.

He said the event, to hold on Nov. 27 will be chaired by former Senate President Dr. Joseph Wayas while the Prof. Iyorwuese Hagher, Nigeria’s former High Commissioner to Canada would be the guest lecturer.