There was a uproar at the ongoing National Conference on Wednesday when former Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Ahmed, threatened to arrest a delegate from Edo State, Chris Agbonwanegbe, for challenging the census figure of Northern Nigeria.
Trouble started when Agbonwanegbe was contributing to the report of the Conference Committee on Political Restructuring and Forms of Government.
The delegate from Edo State challenged the census figure of the Northern part of the country, a development which infuriated the former AIG
Agbonwanegbe called the Conference delegates to address the injustice that led to the creation of more states and local governments in the North as against what is obtainable in the South.
Agbonwanegbe pointed at the disparity in the number of local governments in Kano and Lagos States.
He argued that while Lagos has the highest number of people in Nigeria, it has only 20 local government areas, while Kano with a lower population has 44.
When the former AIG was unable to withstand further the Edo delegate’s comments on the census figure, he shouted and rebuked Agbonwanegbe for daring to challenge the population of Kano State.
But Agbonwanegbe stood his ground and insisted that sustainable development would continue to elude the country if steps are not taken to conduct reliable census to gather data for national planning and development.
In his words: “I did my National Youth Service Corps programme in the North.
“So, I know what I saw during my service year.
“I can authoritatively tell you that there is injustice in this country.
“How can a state like Katsina or Kano have more local government areas than Lagos, which has the highest population?
“It is obvious that there is injustice and this should be addressed.
“From previous censuses we have had, it is obvious that Nigeria cannot conduct a credible census.
“We need to invite the United Nations to help us in conducting a census that will be accepted by everyone and finally put the argument about the region with the highest number to a rest.”
The body language of many Northern delegates kicked against the comment of the Edo State delegate at the Conference.
Some Northern delegates even screamed and raised a point of order to stop the Edo State delegate from continuing to speak.
The Conference Chairman, retired Justice Idris Kutigi, ignored them.
Displeased by Agbonwanegbe’s comments on Northern Nigeria’s census figures, Ahmed, who could not hold back his anger, flouted the rule of the House by screaming: “Arrest him! Arrest him now!”
Ahmed remained on his feet shouting, thereby polarizing the Conference along Northern and Southern lines.
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