The minister of state for defence, Bello Matawalle has counseled President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s appointees from the north to take a stand on the ongoing attack of the administration by the Northern Elders Forum (NEF) or exit the government.
Matawalle was reacting to Dr. Hakeem Baba-Ahmed’s position on his (Ahmed) page where he reportedly expressed a different position on defense of the Tinubu’s government against the Northern Elders Forum.
Dr. Baba-Ahmed once served as the Spokesperson of the Northern Elders Forum and currently a Special Adviser on Political Matters in the Presidency.
Recall, NEF through its spokesperson, Abdul-Azeez Suleiman said the northern region regrets voting president Bola Tinubu in the 2023 general election.
A statement on Monday, personally signed by Matawalle and made available to SINL Nigeria Online quoted that Dr. Baba-Ahmed described his (Matawalle’s) stand against the recent attack on the administration of Tinubu as ‘ill-advised’.
“He suggested I could have done a better job in my defence of the administration where I have the rare honour to serve as a Minister” the statement said.
According to Matawalle, “Dr. Baba-Ahmed’s relationship and affinity with Northern Elders’ Forum (NEF) is well-known. The fact now is that he is an appointee of the administration as Special Adviser and it is incumbent on him to work for the success of the government he is part of, protect and defend the government against unjust and vicious attacks from those who hide under ethnic and other primordial interests to heat up the polity for myopic reasons”.
The statement reads in full:
“Consequent to my position on the recent attack on the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR by a spokesman of the Northern Elders Forum (NEF), it has come to my attention that Dr. Hakeem Baba-Ahmed who once served as the Spokesperson of the group and currently a Special Adviser on Political Matters in the Presidency took to his page on it to express a different position.
“According to Dr. Baba-Ahmed, my stand against the unjust and spurious attack against the new administration of President Tinubu that is working very hard to reposition our country and economy for better as ‘ill-advised’. He suggested I could have done a better job in my defence of the administration where I have the rare honour to serve as a Minister.
“Dr. Baba-Ahmed’s relationship and affinity with Northern Elders’ Forum(NEF) is well-known. The fact now is that he is an appointee of the administration as Special Adviser and it is incumbent on him to work for the success of the government he is part of, protect and defend the government against unjust and vicious attacks from those who hide under ethnic and other primordial interests to heat up the polity for myopic reasons.
“It is pertinent to state that every appointee of President Tinubu including Dr. Baba-Ahmed owe the government a copious duty to promote, elucidate and advance the good works and commendable efforts of the government across all sectors.
“As appointees of the government from the North, we must all take a stand, be unequivocal and be counted in the roll of honours for our support and work for the success of the administration we are serving. This is not the time to keep quiet in the face of intimidation and misrepresentation of the efforts and achievements of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR . We must stand up to be counted for being on the part of government or take our exit”.
