April 16, (THEWILL)- Northern group under the auspices of Arewa Progressive Forum, has said the people of the region will continue to seek for the peace and national unity of the country which is not negotiable.
The group stated this while disassociated itself from the recent views of the Northern Elders Forum against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s presidential approach to security in the region.
Magaji Abbas Danbatta, National Secretary of the forum on Monday, while addressing Journalists said the recent outbursts of the Elders forum did not represent the Northern agenda for peace and national unity of the country which is not negotiable.
According to Dambatta, “it was an error for any group or political association to come out openly and announce their regret over majority decisions, warning that northern elders are derailing from their counseling and advisory role to the government on national issues as it affects the region.”
It further supported Minister of State Defense, Bello Mohammed Matawalle over his mature response to the NEF outbursts against President Tinubu, saying, the people behind the claim were more interested in personal gains than the unity and survival of Nigeria.
“We wholeheartedly endorsed the reactions of Minister of State Defense, Bello Mohammed Matawalle to some members of this group. They are not in tune with the current reality in the North. The reaction to their utterances by the Minister of state defence is appropriately done to safe guard the Presidency, because it is an institution that needs respect & dignified to all Nigerians.
“Northern elders should be seen as neutral, mediators or opinion shapers on national unity, cohesion and progress without regional bias. This is key because Nigeria’s unity can’t be negotiated on the page of newspapers.
“The same elders that ignored and failed to unite some of our political gladiators that are fighting one another in Kano, Sokoto, Zamfara, and Kaduna States are talking about the region being abandoned to its plights”, he queried.
“Where were they when a former Kano State governor Umar Ganduje was having serious political & administrative issues with his immediate predecessor Sen Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, that almost destroyed economical development of Kano a centre of commerce for the region; just like that of Zamfara State Governor, Dauda Lawal, who was known to be at logger head with his his predecessor, now Minister of Defense, Bello Mohammed Matawalle over issues that could have been amicably resolved?
The same with Senator Aliyu Wamakko and Attahiru Bafarawa in Sokoto State, before going into a fight with Aminu Waziri Tambuwal respectively?
“In Kaduna, there is brewing misunderstanding between Governor Uba Sani and his predecessor Nasir El-Rufai. All the Northern elders cared about was President Tinubu, why abandon your house on fire, trying to quench another one’s place.
“We are concerned that, the northern elders have one of their members as an adviser on political matters to the Vice President, the person of Dr Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, who could have facilitated a meeting with who and who in the seat of power to discuss issues affecting the region or the country in general rather than rushing to the press.
“We are of the view that President Tinubu’s approach to the issues of security in the North so far, especially Northwest is one of the best compared to his immediate predecessor, Muhammadu Buhari’s approach”, Danbatta explained.
The Forum, however, noted and commended the joint and unrelenting efforts of the National Security Adviser, Malam Nuhu Ribadu, and Minister of State (Defence), Bello Muhammad Matawalle whose proactive measures have helped improve security in the Northern region.
Tunde Omolehin is an award-winning Journalist with prose in investigative and storytelling that is connecting the dots between the under-reported communities and policymakers to ensure good governance and accountability.
