6 hours ago
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The Gongola Peoples Forum (GPF), a body of indigenous peoples of the old Gongola region, has elected a former Corps Marshall of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), General Halidu Hananiya (rtd) as its national leader with Engr. Markus Gundiri emerging as its national chairman.
The election followed the conduct into the sensitive positions of leadership at its national convention held in Yola on Tuesday, attended by Board of Trustees (BOT) members, elders council, interim excos, chairmen of standing committees, and leadership of various socio-cultural and ethnic nationalities in the state.
Also elected include, Elder Maliki Daniel as national vice chairman I; Hajiya Halima Hayatu national vice chairman II; Barrister Leonard Nzonkan national secretary; and Prof. D.Y Giroti, assistant secretary general.
Others are, Dr. Hauwa Alkali, treasurer; Prince Medan Fwa, financial secretary, Elder Patrick Anyom, PRO I; Sahid Umar, PRO II, Samomo Dedan, PRO III, Prof. Kalep Filli, organising secretary; and Abraham Bebetu, mobilisation secretary.
Speaking at the event, the outgoing interim chairman, Chief L.D Nzadon said the event marked the first of its kind both in conception and implementation in the annals of community relations among ethnic nationalities in the state and beyond since the Ribadau Declaration of 2024.
He further noted that, the Gongola Peoples Forum would exercise their right to self determination in their traditional institutions and would not play second fiddle to others merely because of colonial contraption of indirect rule.
According to him, a system where the name of a state and all public institutions are coined after one individual from one ethnic nationality out of over 80 other ethnic nationalities in the state, as well as most economic wealth in the hands of the same group, derived from nepotism, favouritism, patronage economic rent and peddling of influence not by dint of hard work, innovation and industry is unacceptable to them.
