The Nigeria Ethnic Minority Rights Movement for the Actualisation of the Goodluck Jonathan Presidential Ambition in 2015 (NEMRIMAG), a group of opinion leaders of ethnic minorities mostly from the North on Thursday, March 12, 2015 endorsed incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan for presidency ahead of the forthcoming presidential elections.
President and Secretary of NEMRIMAG, Gizo Jnr Kuulyidamsu and Onya E. Samuel respectively who made the announcement via a statement issued in Jos, Plateau State said the group made the decision because the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presents the mixed minority-majority presidential ticket.
A group of opinion leaders of ethnic minorities mostly from the North has endorsed President Goodluck Jonathan’s re-election bid, saying it is the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) which presents the mixed minority-majority presidential ticket that contemporary Nigeria should support.
The statement said: “The early minority’s fears of domination by the majority ethnic groups would prove to be justified when the British left, and signs abound that this would be continued should we vote in a majority-majority ticket which the APC has fielded.
“We urge our people to rise against this domination, and develop a fourth force (after the three major language groups of Hausa-Fulani, Yoruba and Igbo) that will counter this evil agenda against ethnic minorities.
“Over time, national narrative and political discourse took on an increasingly regional format, undercutting the influence of the minority ethnic groups, something we must work against as we approach another the sinister attempt as we approach 2015 elections, lest we are left out of the equation again.
“The time has come for northern minorities to develop an understanding of their political power. There have been powerful and influential individuals from northern minority ethnic groups before, but under the satanic banner of ‘one North one destiny’ or in the name of protecting the so-called ‘northern interest’, we the ethnic minorities have been used by the Hausa-Fulani to further their interests while we gain nothing.
“Ethnic and religious conflicts in Nigeria, especially in the North, are indicative of the quest by minorities for independence, empowerment, and identity construction and the fear of the majority of losing economic power, political power and cultural dominance.
“Nigeria does not have to split. Reducing the marginalisation in the North’s political and economic life will help to hold Nigeria together.”
