Commotion as Northern groups battle over Tinubu's government

The Arewa Progressive Forum has tackled the Northern Elders Forum over their criticisms against President Bola Tinubu.

The group, on their part, hailed Tinubu led-government’s measures of curbing insecurity in the North, saying the current president is better than his predecessor, former President Muhammadu Buhari.

In a statement, NEF said it regretted voting for Tinubu in the 2023 general elections, adding that the North had learned its lesson. The comment comes following the heightened security issues across the country.

However, the national secretary of the forum, Magaji Danbatta, said on Monday, April 15, 2024, that the recent outburst of the NEF did not represent the northern agenda for peace and national unity of the country.
According to him, it was wrong for any group or political association to derail from their counselling and advisory role to the government.

He said, “The northern elders are derailing from their counseling and advisory role to the government on national issues as it affects the region.”

Arewa went on to support the Minister of Defence, Bello Matawalle’s comment which condemned NEF’s outcry about Tinubu’s administration.

Danbatta further said that NEF was more focused on personal gains rather than uniting the country.

He said, “We wholeheartedly endorse the reactions of the Minister of State Defence, Bello 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.”

Danbatta added, “The same with Umar Ganduje and Rabi’u Kwankwaso or Aliyu Wamakko and Attahiru Bafarawa before going into a fight with Aminu Tambuwal? In Kaduna, there is a brewing misunderstanding between Governor Uba Sani and his predecessor Nasir El-Rufai. 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, Dr Hakeem Baba-Ahmed.

"He 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 Arewa group, went on to applaud the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, and Matawalle, saying their efforts have help reduce insecurity in the North.

“We are of the view that President Tinubu’s approach to the issues of security in the North so far, especially North-West is one of the best compared to his immediate predecessor, Muhammadu Buhari’s approach,” Danbatta said.