Security, Economic Development, tops President Tinubu’s Agenda – Minister

Temitope Mustapha, Abuja

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The Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is geared towards  the realisation of better security, maximum economic development and welfare of all Nigerians.
The Minister of Defence and the Former Zamfara State Governor, Bello Matawalle, said this while reacting to the recent threat by the Katsina Elders’ Forum , who issued a warning to President Tinubu over the relocation of some departments of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to Lagos, for effective operations, administration, and prudent resource management.
 Matawalle also dismissed the declaration made by the Forum saying their stand does not reflect the position and wishes of the people of Northern Nigeria on the re-election of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in 2027.
Emphasising on the need of  Northern Nigeria, Matawalle said that the security of lives and property, which President Tinubu is committed to providing for the people of the region is most paramount , he  warned against anything capable of truncating the nation’s democracy and setting the North against other regions.
He added that this would not be tolerated by the government.
The Minister cautioned that it was wrong for the Elders to make such mischievous declaration on behalf of Northern Nigeria adding that their positions were not popular view in the region.
Empty Threats
The former Zamfara Governor described the threat by Katsina Elders as an empty one and attempts to cause hatred, disunity, and to set Northern Nigeria against their brothers and sisters from other parts of the country.
He declared that President Tinubu is for all Nigerians and that he has no interest or agenda against any of the six geopolitical zones of the country.
The Minister of State for Defence also stated the Katsina Elders Forum has no mandate to speak for the North on such sensitive issues.
Further reacting the Minister queried the legality of the Katsina Elders  to speak on behalf of Northern people, “How can the elders who failed to support the President and their own, the former President Muhammadu Buhari to win Katsina State, make such a reckless statement on behalf of Northern people?
Katsina Elders have forgotten how they betrayed Buhari and President Tinubu by their failure to ensure that President Tinubu wins the majority of votes in their state in the 2023 presidential election. 
 
“Is the protest by Katsina Elders during the 2023 presidential election against former President Muhammadu Buhari who asked them to support President Tinubu not embarrassing enough?
 
“Did the Elders forget that Allah says, ‘Power belongs to HIM and can give it to whoever HE wishes at anytime HE so desires’?”
Matawalle also asked the elders reasons they failed to ensure that the former President did not complete the Abuja-Kano-Katsina road and Umaru Musa Yar’Adua International Airport extension project before leaving office.
Yet another question for the Katsina Elders is why they did not warn the former President to stop the carnage against the people of Northern Nigeria when banditry and other security challenges persisted? Why were the Elders silent on the failures of their own over terrorism and large-scale corruption? 
 
“Let me also draw the attention of the Katsina Elders’ Forum to fact that when former President Buhari’s Minister of Transportation decided to locate the Transportation University in the former President’s hometown, Daura, other Nigerians did not protest against that decision, as they believed it was in the interest of unity and peaceful coexistence of the country.
 
“I, therefore, strongly advise the Katsina Elders to think twice and stop heating up the polity, but rather concentrate on what binds Nigerians and Nigeria as an entity for the development of our dear country,” the Minister added

 

 

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