A chieftain of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Ilyasu Musa Kwankwaso, has stressed the need for the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) to call for a roundtable discussion that would involve religious leaders, traditional rulers and politicians to tackle insecurity problems facing the north.
He made this assertion on Thursday in Kano while reacting to the recent outcome of ACF meetings held in Kaduna where they issued a communique allegedly attacking the Federal government on alleged neglect of the northern states.
Recall that in a communiqué issued after its National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held in Kaduna on Wednesday, the ACF expressed dissatisfaction with the current administration’s economic policies, stating that they have worsened the hardship faced by the average Nigerians.
The communiqué was signed by Prof. Tukur Muhammad-Baba, ACF’s National Publicity Secretary.
The forum highlighted the unique vulnerabilities of the northern region, noting that its people are disproportionately affected by food insecurity, limited access to education and skills training, and reliance on microeconomic activities for survival.
However, while reacting to various allegations levelled against the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led administration, Kwankwaso said that rather than condemning the President the north “should look inward on how to solve pressing menaces facing us and stop a ball game attitude of passing transfer of aggression on President Tinubu.”
He added that though it is normal for the ACF to speak on issues threatening the northern states, they should also try to look for a true panacea to confronting challenges
The APC Chieftain highlighted that whatever the north might have discussed at a roundtable with sincerity and one mind if tabled before President Tinubu, would be given the utmost consideration and attention, adding that the President has a listening ear to whatever issues affecting the country.
According to him, “We in the north should listen and act on what the former Sokoto state governor, Attahiru Bafarawa said that we in the north do not like ourselves. As reasons, we could not unite and fight a myriad of challenges bedevilling the north.”
Continuing, Kwankwaso stated that the Tinubu-led administration did not start the present challenges facing the north, noting that the problems were inherited from the previous administration.
He said the major problem is armed banditry, adding that if this is solved, farmers would be able to return to farms and there would also be enough food for the citizenry.
“Therefore, we must collectively resolve to deal with and solve the impediments, preventing the wheels of progress in our mist, which is insecurity,” he added.
He stated further that the North must also be fair to itself by going back the memory lane, adding that no fewer than 13 heads of state had ruled the country and just three of them were from the southern part of the country.
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