By Umar Yusuf

Yola — As the political distrust created by President Umaru Yar’Adua’s health continues unabated, a university don, Professor Anele Nwokoma, has called on the North and the South-South geo-political regions  not to allow the quagmire to create rift between the two regions.

Nwokoma of the American University of Nigeria, Yola, made the call, weekend, at the formal launch of Adamawa State chapter of the South-South Progressive Union, SSPU, in Yola.

He recalled that the North and the South-South  had political, cultural, commercial and other  links  dating back to pre-independence era, noting that allowing the present political maneuvering over the health of President Yar’Adua to affect the long standing ties will not augur well for the two regions.

“When the North sneezes, the South-South catches cool and when the South-South coughs, the North shivers.  This is to tell you the level of romance and cooperation that had been existing between the two regions that should not be toyed with,” he observed.

Nwokoma, therefore, advised the political class not to divide the north and the south along side president Yar’adua  and the acting president Good luck Jonathan.

He stressed that the health of  the president  and the position of Good luck Jonathan should be treated  strictly as the constitution of the federal republic of Nigerian stipulates to avoid  over heating the polity.

Earlier, Chairman of the South-South Progressive Union, Adamawa State chapter, Mr Godspower Oso, had  said the union, which is none political, was formed to create a common avenue for communication with the governments of Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Edo and Rivers states and the host state on socio-cultural related matters.

Godspower also enumerated the objectives of the union to also include fostering unity among the natives of South-South and other Nigerians and commended the singular efforts of the commandant, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence  Corps, Adamawa Command, Dr Goodluck Asibi for  the establishment of the union.
He charged all South-South natives  residing in the state to be hard-working and law-abiding.