Northern Elders Berate Buhari over Rising Insecurity, Poverty ...Describe him a failure

 

The Northern Elders Forum (NEF) at the weekend stated that President Muhammadu Buhari has failed Nigeria in tackling the security challenges facing the country.

The group also lamented the pervasive poverty, particularly in the northern region, which it alleged had worsened under the Buhari administration.

The forum in a statement yesterday, which was signed by its convener, Prof. Ango Abdullahi, said the relationship between insecurity and poverty is fundamental, but Buhari administration does not appear to have any idea on how to provide relief or solution.

Abdullahi, a former Vice-Chancellor of the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Zaria, regretted that  in spite of the unprecedented consensus among Nigerians that the Buhari administration requires a new resolve, approach and leadership in the fight against the security challenges, the president appeared either totally isolated or in deep denial over the result of his failures to secure Nigerians.

According to the statement, "Northern Elders Forum has refrained from comments on major developments relating to management of national security and governance because it is convinced that these times require the highest levels of responsibility and circumspection in the manner elders and leaders in the country contribute to the search for solutions to the multiple problems which face them.

"It has become necessary and appropriate, however, to make public the position of the forum on important matters that affect the manner Nigerians live, and the future we must address.

"The forum regrets that by any standard of judgement, the leadership of President Buhari has failed the country in the vital area of improving its security.

"Poverty, particularly in the North, and massive social security have worsened under this administration. The relationship between insecurity and poverty is fundamental, but the administration does not appear to have any idea on what will provide relief or solution to the situation.

"It gives the forum no pleasure to say that it had warned Nigerians that President Buhari lacked the will, the competence and commitment to lead it into a secure and prosperous future before the 2019 elections.

"It is shocking that in spite of unprecedented consensus among Nigerians that the administration requires a new resolve, approach and leadership in the fight against multiple security challenges in the country, President Buhari appears either totally isolated or in deep denial over the result of his failures to secure Nigerians."

The forum maintained that "with this type of mind set, it is difficult to see how President Buhari can accept the challenge to radically improve his handling of our security situation."

The statement urged Nigerians to  continue to raise their voices and organise through all legitimate means to demand that the administration address major failings in his perception of "our   situation and his response to our demands for our rights to security.

 "The forum demands a thorough overhaul of the leadership of our security and public safety agencies, and the injection of higher levels of competence, integrity and accountability in the manner our security agencies deal with security challenges.

"We appeal to our religious leaders and fellow citizens not to fall into the trap of insurgents to set us up against one  another.

"We condemn the tactic of targeting Christians and publicising their executions by an insurgency seeking to exploit our different faiths. We also condemn the murder of thousands of Muslims and Christians in communities which the insurgency has made permanent targets in the last decade.

"These are times when we must unite and resist a common enemy as well as demand that our leaders protect us all as Nigerians."

The forum also noted the comments of the Chairman of the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG) which recently announced the establishment of a northern security outfit in response to the opinions of the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa'ad Abubakar, saying it did not conform with the culture of respect and reverence for leaders which Northerners are noted for.

"The forum demands that the chairman of BoT of Coalition of Northern Groups should apologise to the Sultan of Sokoto without reservations.

"The forum notes that the Sultan has many avenues of relating with the Coalition, and urges him to continue with his close relations with the Coalition and utilise his position to extract the maximum benefits which could accrue to the Northern community in his relations with the Coalition" the statement said.