2023 Elections: Southern Nigeria, Middle Belt Regions Form Political Group To Break Northern Dominance

The people of Southern and Middle Belt regions of Nigeria have come together to form a political pressure group named ‘Southern and Middle Belt Alliance’ (SAMBA).

This was disclosed in a statement made available to journalists on Thursday.

According to the statement, the objective of SAMBA is to advance the social, cultural and economic interests of the South-West, South-East, South-South and Middle Belt regions of Nigeria by promoting a political alliance between the four regions.

The statement was signed on behalf of SAMBA's interim coordinating committee, comprising Paul Yusuf, Rwang Pam Jnr, Georgina Awan, Tochukwu Okoye, Emmanuel Ohai, and Ambrose Obimma.

According to the group’s policy document, SAMBA is a “Lobbying, political action, pressure group to influence the quality of leadership and representation, the calibre of political leadership, and facilitate grassroots bodies from these regions and thereby advance the political interests of our people.”

The statement further read, "In the interest of the peoples of the South-West, South-South, South-East and the Middle Belt regions of Nigeria, we the aforementioned people of like minds across the four geo-political zones have come together to form a political pressure group that seeks to advance the interests of the peoples of the Southern and Middle Belt of Nigeria.

"As 2023 draws closer, we have decided to take our futures and destinies into our hands to take back political power in the interest of our people.

“We will work together with one agenda to actively sensitise our people and create governance that will truly reflect the will of the people.

“We will inspire fresh and innovative political leaders.

“We will work to stop the genocide, banditry and kidnapping being committed against Nigeria’s indigenous communities across the country.

“We will propose reformative legislations and influence economic policies to make life abundant for all.

"SAMBA’s blueprint is designed to be a grassroots political pressure group that will use all legitimate means to get our message directly to the people, to train and galvanise our people and achieve our mission and objectives.

"SAMBA is a Movement of Nigerians at home and in the diaspora, it cuts across political views, orientation and allegiances, and as such we will collaborate with like-minded incumbent and aspiring political office holders in the aforementioned regions in the country."

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