Vunderkind
Social Member
The census controversy between the Southern and Northern Nigeria resurfaced yesterday at the ongoing National Conference. Former Political Adviser to President Shehu Shagari, Alhaji Tanko Yakassai, reignited the census controversy, saying the population of Northern Nigeria has always been higher than that of the South. He reminded fellow delegates that former National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr. Ahmadu Ali, had also raised the issue that Northern Nigeria is greater than Southern Nigeria in population.
Yakassai, who was nominated to the Conference as one of the elder statesmen, told delegates that the issue of unending controversy on the actual census figures of the Northern and Southern parts of the country should have been put to rest since there is incontrovertible evidence that the North is greater in population than its Southern counterpart. He said that the controversy, which has consistently featured the country’s national discourse, is inimical to the pursuit of unity and peaceful coexistence among Nigerians. He said, “Although this issue ought to have been scientifically put to rest by virtue of the results of various head counts conducted at different times and under different administrations in the country – with active participation of United Nations’ experts on demography and statistics – all of which have lent credence that Northern Nigeria has the majority in terms of population of the country. However, the controversy has refused to abate.”
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Source: The Nation
Yakassai, who was nominated to the Conference as one of the elder statesmen, told delegates that the issue of unending controversy on the actual census figures of the Northern and Southern parts of the country should have been put to rest since there is incontrovertible evidence that the North is greater in population than its Southern counterpart. He said that the controversy, which has consistently featured the country’s national discourse, is inimical to the pursuit of unity and peaceful coexistence among Nigerians. He said, “Although this issue ought to have been scientifically put to rest by virtue of the results of various head counts conducted at different times and under different administrations in the country – with active participation of United Nations’ experts on demography and statistics – all of which have lent credence that Northern Nigeria has the majority in terms of population of the country. However, the controversy has refused to abate.”
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Source: The Nation
