A group, Arewa Progressive Forum, has disassociated itself from the recent views of the Northern Elders Forum against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s presidential approach to security in the region.
The Northern Elders Forum had stated that it regretted its decision to vote for President Bola Tinubu in the 2023 elections and threatened that the North had learned its lesson over heightened security challenges under the Tinubu-led administration, and as such, wont vote for Tinubu come 2027 general elections.
However , the National Secretary of the APFO, Magaji Abbas Danbatta, in a statement on Monday regretted that 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.
They stated that 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.
The group further supported Minister of State Defense, Bello Mohammed Matawalle, over his 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.
They said, “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.Northern elders should be seen as 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… All the Northern elders cared about was President Tinubu. We are concerned that, the northern elders have one of their members as an adviser on political matters to the Vice President 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.”
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.
“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’s approach,” the group stated.
