A group of pro-democracy activists from the 19 Northern states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has called on politicians and clerics from the region to stop criticizing the performance of Bola Tinubu, saying he inherited a lot of problems from the previous administration.
The group, known as Arewa Initiative for the Defense and Promotion of Democracy (AIDPD), made the call after an emergency meeting in Abuja to review the state of the nation.
The National Chairman of the group, Shehu Abdullahi Ma’aji, told journalists that some Northern politicians and clerics have been quick to label the Tinubu administration as a failure, without considering the enormous challenges it inherited from the previous administration of Muhammadu Buhari.
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He said: “We members of pro-democracy groups from the 19 Northern States and the FCT make the following observations and resolutions:
“To commend patriotic Northerners and indeed all Nigerians who are cooperating and supporting this government in its bid to provide solutions to the nation’s problems despite the incitement by some unscrupulous politicians who are bent on inciting the masses against the government.
“That the world economy is currently not in the best of shape due to the Russian- Ukrainian and the Israeli-Palestinian wars, etc. We observed that the Nigerian economy is not exempted from this global economic problem.
“That the current administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu inherited a lot of problems from the past administration of Muhammadu Buhari which it is currently trying to address. For instance, the Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq and chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) had just revealed that the crude oil the country will be getting in the next six months had been sold in advance by the immediate past administration.
“That the solutions to the problems cannot be instantly solved but in a gradual pattern.
“That Nigerians should show patriotism by cooperating with this administration in its bid to finding solutions to the country’s problems such as inflation, corruption, insecurity – banditry and kidnapping that the country is currently facing.”
Ma’aji also accused some Civil Society Organizations of being used by politicians to organize fake protests across the country to tarnish the image of the Tinubu administration.
He said: “That those disgruntled politicians who are using some clerics through misinformation to issue statements condemning this administration without any good reason should desist forthwith in the interest of our beloved nation.
“We are not averse to any form of legitimate protest to show grievances to the government’s policy or programme, provided it is done in good faith and under the laws of our beloved country, Nigeria. We frown at the idea of sponsoring people to stage fake protests for the financiers to score cheap political mileage by discrediting the current administration.
“We call on all Northerners and indeed all Nigerians to continue to support the current administration in its bid to bring Prosperity to our nation.
“That we Northerners are not against Mr President and this administration. We will continue to support and pray for this administration to succeed.
“That the current administration is just eight months into office. it needs more time to deal with the problems it inherited. So we the well-meaning Northerners are praying and positively collaborating with the current administration for it to succeed.“
The group expressed confidence that the Tinubu administration would overcome the challenges facing the country and deliver on its promises to the people.