NEF Has Become Political burden to Northerners , Its Anti-Tinubu Comments Un-called For-Matawalle
Minister of State for Defence, Alhaji Bello Matawalle has condemned the Northern Elders Forum, NEF, for criticizing the Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration and for threatening to dislodge him in 2027.
Recall that the NEF had recently submitted that it regretted supporting President Bola Tinubu in the 2023 presidential election while adding that ahead of the 2027 presidential election support would be given to someone who is ‘more inclusive, less controversial, and more aligned with the interests of all regions of the country’.
Team@orientactualmags.com learned that Bello Matawalle, who is the immediate past governor of Zamfara state, submitted in a statement he issued on Saturday that the NEF has become a political burden to the North while adding that the members have no mandate to speak on behalf of the region.
‘My attention has been drawn to the threats issued by the Northern Elders Forum against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, which is ‘reprehensible and naive’. It is preposterous for a group of people seeking political relevance to overburden the system and create political disunity among Nigerians.
The so-called NEF is more or less a political paperweight trying to embark on a destructive journey that will bring the North to disrepute for the group’s personal and selfish gains.
This NEF is more of a political burden to Northerners. The group is seeking to erode other people’s rights in order to be recognized or made relevant in the scheme of things despite the failure of their sponsored candidates in the 2023 general election.
In as much as many have overlooked them in respect of their utterances, it is pertinent to underscore their overbearing attitude on issues that affect political unity and cohesion. They cannot offer any positive idea or thought about the future of Northern Nigeria or, indeed, of Nigeria and its unity and togetherness’ Matawale, who lost re-election in the 2023 Zamfara state guber election, submitted.
The minister also said the NEF is not qualified to say that it will dislodge the president in 2027.
‘We all know President Bola Ahmed Tinubu won the February 2023 presidential election convincingly. So, who is the NEF to want to undermine the president’s victory and even threaten to unseat him?
This same group of people has intentionally shied away from their responsibility of engendering unity in the North by appreciating the incremental development being brought to the North by ministers appointed by President Tinubu from the North, especially the North West.
The NEF has not deemed it fit to seek an audience with Mr President to discuss issues affecting the Northern region despite the numerous challenges facing the North as rightly highlighted by the President and being addressed by him.
The group has yet to visit any of the ministers dealing with issues of security, agriculture, water resources, police affairs, education, health, budget, foreign affairs, or any head of security agencies in the country so far for first-hand knowledge of government programmes and actions’ he added-Team@orientactualmags.com Do you have any information you wish to share with us? Do you want us to cover your event or programme? Kindly send SMS to 08059100286, 09094171980 or get in touch via orientactualmag@gmail.com. Thank you
