Northern Elders Forum (NEF) has
declared the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari a total failure.
The group said it had warned
Nigerians that Buhari has nothing to offer to them, adding that the President
has failed to tackle insecurity and improve the economy.
NEF said the Buhari-led
government appeared helpless in finding solutions to the numerous challenges
the country is faced with.
NEF’s position was made public by
the Forum’s Director, Advocacy and Engagement, Dr. Hakeem Baba-Ahmad shortly
after a meeting convened by the chairman of the forum, Professor Ango
Abdullahi.
Those that attended the meeting
were: Abdullahi, former Chief of Defence Staff, Air Marshal Alamin Daggash
(retd); Secretary of the Coalition of Northern Groups, Abdullahi Usman and
Ambassador Yahaya Kwande; Deputy National Chairman of NEF, Alhaji Bello Kirfi
(Wazirin Bauchi), DIG Labaran Wurno, Alhaji Yakubu Shehu and former MD, defunct
Bank of the North, Hajiya Amina Yahaya, among others.
Baba-Ahmed said, “Northern Elders
Forum has refrained from comments on major developments relating to management
of national security and governance because it is convinced that these are
times which require the highest levels of responsibility and circumspection in
the manner elders and leaders in the nation contribute to the search for
solutions to the multiple problems which face the nation.
“It has become necessary and
appropriate, however, to make public, the position of the Forum on important
matters that affect the manner Nigerians live, and the future we must address.
“The Forum regrets that by any
standard of judgement, the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari has failed
the nation in the vital area of improving its security. Poverty, particularly
in the North, and massive social security have worsened under this
administration. The relationship between insecurity and poverty is fundamental,
but the administration does not appear to have any idea on what will provide
relief or solution.
“It gives the Forum no pleasure
to say that it had warned Nigerians that President Buhari lacked the will, the
competence and commitment to lead it into a secure and prosperous future before
the 2019 elections.
“It is shocking that in spite of
unprecedented consensus among Nigerians that the administration requires a new
resolve, approach and leadership in the fight against the nation’s multiple
security challenges, President Buhari appears either totally isolated or in
deep denial over the result of his failures to secure Nigerians.
“With this type of mind set, it
is difficult to see how President Buhari can accept the challenge to radically
improve his handling of our security situation. Nonetheless, we believe that
Nigerians must continue to raise our voices and organize through all legitimate
means to demand that the administration addresses major failings in his
perception of our situation and his response to our demands for our rights to
security.
“The Forum demands a thorough
overhaul of the leadership of our security and public safety agencies, and the
injection of higher levels of competence, integrity and accountability in the
manner our troops and the police and security agencies deal with security
challenges. We appeal to our religious leaders and fellow citizens not to fall
into the trap of insurgents to set us up against each other.
“We condemn the tactic of
targeting Christians and publicising their executions by an insurgency seeking
to exploit our different faiths.
“We also condemn the murder of
thousands of Muslims and Christians in communities which the insurgency has
made permanent targets in the last decade. These are times when we must unite
and resist a common enemy as well as demand that our leaders protect us all as
Nigerians.
“In principle, the Forum supports
the idea of improving the policing capacities of the nation. It is important to
emphasise, however, that all initiatives to improve public safety must find
accommodation within our laws, and must not be designed to threaten or harass
particular groups or interests. We recommend the adoption of a more vigorous
and inclusive process which will result in the creation of acceptable
frameworks and higher levels of confidence among all communities with respect
to policing strategies.
“This Forum extends its hand at
any group or interest willing to discuss this important matter, and will
utilize its entire assets to collaborate with other groups to achieve an
understanding on the way forward. We advise all governments to exercise higher
levels of restraint and responsibility in the manner they respond to the
challenges of improving our security and safety.
“In this regard, the Forum notes
that the comments of the Chairman, Board of Trustees of the Coalition of
Northern Groups (CNG), in response to the opinions of His Eminence, the Sultan
of Sokoto, Alhaji Saad Abubakar do not conform with the culture of respect and
reverence for leaders which Northerners are noted for.
“The Forum demands that the
Chairman of BOT of Coalition of Northern Groups should apologise to His
Eminence, the Sultan of Sokoto without reservations. The Forum notes that His
Eminence has many avenues for relating with the Coalition, and urges him to
continue with his close relations with the Coalition and utilize his position
to extract the maximum benefits which could accrue to the Northern community in
his relations with the Coalition.
“In moments of tension and
stress, Nigerians tend to find easy solutions or scapegoats. This Forum is
concerned that the apparent resurgence of certain types of conflicts such as
ethnic and farmers/herders clashes will have multiplier effects and cause
damaging setbacks to the successes made in improving community relations. We
appeal to governments and communities to commit further to living together in
peace and earning a living within the ample resources we are blessed with.
“With due respect to the rights
of the Lagos State Government to take decisions that improve the environment
and public safety, we are constrained to draw attention to the impact of its
policy on banning Okada and Keke in parts of the State on the poor and
operators, many of them from the North, who earn honest living through this
trade.
“We urge restraint in the
responses of those who are immediately affected by this policy, while we urge
Northern State Governments to mobilize and support the people who will be
compelled to relocate back to the North with other sources of legitimate
living.
“The Forum had engaged a broad
spectrum of opinion on the stress in relations between the palace of Sarkin
Kano and the Government of Kano State. The Forum is looking forward to engaging
with His Excellency, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje on this matter.
“We commend the maturity and
restraint of all parties on this matter, and we join others in prayers that
Allah will help us all to find a way out of this issue. We are aware of the
outpouring of advise and contributions towards resolving these stresses, and we
urge the Governor and Sarkin Kano, the two people Allah Has entrusted with huge
leadership responsibilities today, to find a fair and lasting solution to this
seeming problem.
“The Forum has observed that
political manoeuvres around the 2023 elections are targeting the North as a
region available for exploitation. We want to make it clear that people of the
North will be very careful in committing to persons seeking their support on
the basis of their region or wealth.
“The North knows its interests,
and will stand together to elect only persons who meet the standards and interests
of the people of the North. No politician should assume that they are entitled
to our support unless they show a clear understanding and a commitment to deal
with our problems and meet our aspirations.”
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