The Arewa New Agenda (ANA) has condemned what it described as uncomplimentary remarks and attacks on the Minister of Defence, Mohammed Abubakar Badaru, by some persons who questioned his capability to handle such a sensitive post.
The Convener of ANA, Senator Ahmad Abubakar MoAllahyidi, while briefing journalists on Thursday in Abuja, reminded the critics that Badaru is the immediate past Governor of Jigawa State, where he also doubles as the Chief Security Officer of the State.
Senator MoAllahyidi stated that within his eight years in office, Jigawa was one of the states with the least infiltration of bandits and banditry, kidnapping, farmers, and herders violence.
He said while other states were grappling with security challenges, Governor Badaru led Jigawa state through a rapid transformation that is concrete, measurable, and verifiable.
“As the Ministers settle down to confront challenges of governance, ANA notes with disappointment the uncomplimentary remarks attacks, anger, frustration and vituperations with which some persons hiding under the guise of religion, ethnicity and using false and unsubstantiated allegations hurl at the new Ministers even before they settle down.
“H.E, Mohammed Abubakar Badaru, the newly appointed minister of defence is among the ministers some disgruntled elements hiding under the garb of religion have taken as lacking prerequisites for his office.
“ANA hastens to correct the impression being built in some media outfit regarding the person and capacity of the new minister of defense.
“Badaru is the immediate past Governor of Jigawa State and, by virtue of this office, the state’s chief security officer for a consecutive two terms of 8 years.
“Amongst the 19 States of Northern Nigeria, Jigawa stood heads and shoulders above other states in the deployment of an internally driven approach to ensuring safety, peace, and peaceful coexistence despite its obvious disadvantage of being a border State to some of the countries serving as operational bases of terrorist groups like Boko Haram, Islamic States West Africa Province ISWAP and their different factions”, ANA said.
ANA, however, pledged to mobilize all necessary support for the Ministers in order for them to excel in the discharge of their duties.
“If after doing so, these ministers fail to deliver, ANA will not hesitate to make a case to the President to review the appointment of the minister concern,” the group warned.
While congratulating all the 45 Ministers, ANA said it is objectionable and unconscionable for Ministers to indulge in red-carpet treatment and display excessive perks and perquisites of office at a time when the country is passing through serious economic turbulence.
“We are particularly calling on Ministers of northern extraction to work assiduously hard for the good of the north and Nigeria as a whole. They should refrain from pursuing narrow individualistic ends at the expense of the North and the nation as a whole. They must eschew pursuits in conflict with the overarching vision of the President.
“As ministers of the Government of the Federation representing the north, they must make time to engage with the people to understand and internalize their aspirations and weave this into the renewed hope mantra of President Tinubu’s government. Doing so would surely improve the tone of government, leading to high-quality governance, prosperity, and citizens’ satisfaction”, ANA Convener added.
He said that ANA believes that Tinubu’s Presidency would be defined by what it does to insecurity and what it does to the economy.