2023 presidency: Southern Middle Belt Alliance tackles NEF over voters’ claim
- Dr. Hakeem Baba-Ahmed has been blasted over his claim that northern Nigeria has the voting population to beat other part of the country
- The admonition was issued by the Southern and Middle Belt Alliance who described the statement as reckless
- According to them, without the Middle Belt, such numbers boasted about in the North is mere political posturing
The Southern and Middle Belt Alliance condemned a statement credited to the Director of Publicity and Advocacy of the Northern Elders Forum, Dr. Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, in which he boasted that northern Nigeria has the voting population and would not play second fiddle in 2023.
In a statement titled, “2023: SAMBA slams Northern Elders Forum, describes statement as reckless, careless”, signed by its Spokesperson, Rwang Pam on Monday, the group described Baba-Ahmed statement as “reckless, careless and insensitive.”
Source: UGC
It read in part, “Our attention has been drawn to the statement credited to Director of Publicity and Advocacy of the Northern Elders Forum, Dr. Hakeem Baba-Ahmed that the North is not ready to relinquish power in 2023, claiming that the region has majority of votes and democracy says ‘vote whom you want’.
“Let Dr Baba-Ahmed be reminded that without the Middle Belt, such numbers boasted about in the North is mere political posturing.
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“It is disheartening that Dr. Hakeem Baba-Ahmed will make such a reckless and careless statement at a time when we are still battling to keep the country united.
“One would have expected that the retired Federal Permanent Secretary, with his exposure and academic prowess will choose his words carefully, but it is quite unfortunate that NEF will talk recklessly.
“It is certain that some liberal minded people in the North will be shedding secret tears as a result of the statement credited to the Northern Elders Forum, because it is based on a delusion of a ‘One North’ that has treated the Middle Belt region as second-class citizens.”
Race for 2023 intensifies as northern elders’ spokesman joins PRP, gives reason
In another report, a report indicates that the national publicity secretary of the Northern Elders Forum (NEF), Dr Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, has joined the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP).
The former federal permanent secretary made the announcement in a post via his official Facebook page on Monday, August 16 as he returned to mainstream politics.
According to Baba-Ahmed, he joined the political party with good intention. The NEF spokesman urged other patriotic citizens to join him to rescue the north and Nigeria from bad governance.
Meanwhile, Legt.ng had reported that Delta state governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa on Wednesday, August 25 said bad governance, ethnoreligious conflicts, and lack of faith in the electoral process were major causes of disunity in Nigeria.
Okowa stated this in his keynote address at the 2021 Annual Lecture and Symposium organised by Ripples Centre for Data and Investigative Journalism (RCDIJ) in Lagos.
The governor stated that bad governance at different levels of government was a major contributory factor to disunity in the country, adding that the absence of a shared national vision or aspiration, primordial loyalties, and sentiments largely held sway among the citizenry.
He listed indices of bad governance to include tribalism and nepotism, lopsidedness in power-sharing, corruption and lack of transparency and accountability, religious bigotry, insecurity, unemployment, and poverty.
Source: Legit.ng
