….charge ministers of northern extraction to work assiduously to transform north, Nigeria
By Gabriel Ewepu
ABUJA – AS newly appointed ministers settle down to hit the ground running, northern elders under the auspices of Arewa New Agenda, ANA, Thursday, told President Bola Tinubu that tackling the insecurity and revamping of the economy will determine the success of his administration in the next four years.
This was contained in a statement signed by the Convener, ANA, Sen. Ahmad Abubakar MoAllahyidi.
In the statement, MoAllahyidi pointed out Nigeria is grappling one of the most challenging times in its evolution to nationhood, hence
Nigerians want ministers with innovative thinking and capacity to tap material and human resources in the country that would make life better for the teeming masses.
He said: “It is an understatement to say that our dear country Nigeria is facing one of the most challenging times in its evolution to nationhood.
“Nigerians want ministers with innovative thinking and capacity to tap material and human resources in the country that would make life better for the teeming masses of the nation. If Nigeria needs these type of ministers, the north as a region needs them more for obvious reasons.
“ANA believes that Tinubu’s Presidency would be defined by what it does to insecurity and what it does to the economy.
“The economy and insecurity singled out here for mention be it said are by no means the only problems afflicting the nation.
“We start by congratulating all the 45 Ministers that were sworn-in and assigned portfolios; we wish them the very best while charging them thus: Dare to be different!
“Their appointment offers a fresh opportunity to get it right on socio-economic progress. It is objectionable and unconscionable for Ministers to indulge in red-carpet treatment and display of excessive perks and perquisites of office at a time 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 out 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 that would lead to high quality governance, prosperity and citizens’ satisfaction.
ANA promised to mobilize and give all necessary support “the Ministers need to excel in the discharge of their duties”, and added that, “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 statement also express disappointment over what it described as uncomplimentary remarks by some Nigerians about some of the newly appointed Ministers.
“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”, it pointed to.
Meanwhile, the group condemned those making demeaning statements about the Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru, under any guise.
“H.E, Mohammed Abubakar Badaru, the newly appointed minister of defense is among the ministers some disgruntle 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 chief security officer of the state for a consecutive two terms of 8 years. Within these eight years, it was on record that Jigawa State was one of the states with the least infiltration of bandits and banditry, kidnapping, farmers and herders violence.
“Amongst the 19 States of Northern Nigeria, Jigawa stood heads and shoulders above other states in the deployment of 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.
“A man who held sway in such a scenario is certainly not a stranger to the defence of territorial integrity and there for a fit and proper person for the office of minister of defence. Such a person can re-enact on the national stage what he achieved for the state.
“Little wonder on his first day in office, he gave the armed forces a one-year deadline to end everything terrorism, banditry and all other violence that has held the country down all the while. ANA finds the armed forces ‘Yes response’ to the minister’s call to duty salutary.
“For eight years, while other States were grappling with security challenges, Governor Badaru led Jigawa state through a rapid transformation that is concrete, measurable and verifiable. During his tenure as governor of the state, critical infrastructure like road networks, health care facilities, potable water, housing and agriculture received big boosts on an annual rolling basis.
“The track record of Badaru in private and public sphere is well known to all.
However, the group called on northerners to support the Minister of Defence as it has been the “tradition, culture and religion of the people of northern Nigeria, mandates us to support and respect leadership and constituted authority.
“Therefore the insinuations of lack of competence on the honorable Minister of defense Badaru when he has not even started, smacks of ignorance and mischief on the part of those making the call for his sack.”
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