A former governor of Jigawa State, Sule Lamido, has asked President Muhammadu Buhari to reflect on the issues recently raised by the Northern Elders Forum (NEF) in a statement, particularly on insecurity and poverty in the country.
Lamido, according to a post he wrote on his Facebook page on Tuesday, urged the president not to ignore the pieces of advice the northern elders in the NEF that stood by him during the years he unsuccessfully aspired to lead the country.
He added that presidential spokesmen including Femi Adesina and Garba Shehu have failed to apprise the President on the state of security challenges facing the country.
Recall that the NEF, convened by Ango Abdullahi, flayed the president over insecurity and poverty in the country.
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But a response from the presidency issued by the Adesina claimed the NEF is a quasi-organisation and a ‘one-man army’ that shown its antipathy against President Muhammadu Buhari even before the 2019 general elections.
Lamido, however, said: “I urge Mr President to reflect deeply on the response in his defence made on the statement of the Northern Elders Forum on the “State of Nation on Security” by Femi Adesina.
“Sir if you reflect on your political evolution from APP, ANPP, CPC to ACN the likes of Prof Ango and Hakeem Baba Ahmed and many more in the NEF have been your loyal troops through thick and thin and have never abandoned you even in defeat! The question you should ask yourself is why have they abandoned you in victory to political mercenaries like Femi and Garba who are with you only for the pay?
“Sir the issues they raised are real and each and every Nigerian except Femi and Garba share these concerns, even you as our C-in-C (COmmander-in-Chief) claimed not be aware of our insecurity situation until the likes of NEF raised the red alarm!
“You need to also read the warning written by Elder Statesman Bashir Tofa to Nigerian big men on the analysis of insecurity in Nigeria, our sub-region and Africa.
“I hope the general without troops Femi was referring to sarcastically is not you sir! You have many capable hands around you sir, listen to them, engage them. You are the man of the moment.”
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