Politics

Insecurity: Why Northern Elders Are Angry With Buhari – Femi Adesina

Published

4 years ago

April 15, 2022

The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, has knocked the Northern Elders Forum for asking the President Muhammadu Buhari to resign over his handling of insecurity challenges bedeviling the country.

This is as he also alleged that the NEF position was borne out of the members’ frustration after they allegedly failed to be part of Buhari’s regime.

Adesina revealed this in an article titled, ‘Hiding under the umbrella of insecurity’, and shared on his official Facebook page on Thursday.

The PUNCH reports that NEF had on Tuesday asked Buhari to resign for failing to provide security in the country. The forum made the demand in a statement by its spokesperson, Dr Hakeem Baba-Ahmed.

It said it was disappointing that after nearly seven years of being in office, Buhari still has no answers to security challenges across the country.

The statement read in part, “The administration of President Muhammadu Buhari does not appear to have answers to the challenges of security to which we are exposed.

“We cannot continue to live and die under the dictates of killers, kidnappers, rapists, and sundry criminal groups that have deprived us of our rights to live in peace and security.

“Our constitution has provisions for leaders to voluntarily step down if they are challenged by personal reasons or they prove incapable of leading.”

But reacting to the NEF’s position in his article, Adesina alleged that NEF was peopled with “self-seeking individuals” who had hoped will get the better of the regime after Buhari’s electoral victory in 2015.

He wrote, “The point of interest today is the hackneyed calls on President Buhari to resign over the country’s security challenges, the latest coming from a so-called Northern Elders Forum (NEF), a group I’d once described as “Generals without troops.”

“The Forum is largely made of angry, bitter, self-seeking individuals, who had thought they would be leading President Buhari by the nose when he emerged in 2015. In fact, key personalities in the group made strenuous efforts to be part of the administration. When they didn’t succeed, they became adversaries.

“It is on record that NEF had always opposed the Buhari administration since its gambit failed, and before the 2019 presidential election, it openly endorsed Atiku Abubakar of the People’s Democratic Party as next President.

“And that completely vitiates whatever position the Forum adopts today. It is partisan, bilious, by no means neutral. It is from a self-serving standpoint.”

Furthermore, the presidential aide argued that there were issues of insecurity globally and that the President was sparing no effort in securing Nigeria and Nigerians.

“Between 2009 and 2022, there were at least 271 mass shootings in United States of America, resulting in 1,518 people killed, and 980 wounded. Just this week, there has been the Brooklyn Subway Shooting, in which at least 23 people were critically injured.

“vIn all these, did you hear calls for the resignation of any American President? It is on record that last year was the deadliest in a decade, in terms of mass shootings. Have you heard of calls for the resignation of President Joe Biden by a caterwauling band? No.”

“Every life is important. No single life should be taken wantonly. Not in America, Europe, Asia, Africa, and definitely not in Nigeria. And when challenges occur, as we currently have, it should not be turned to a leaky political umbrella, from under which you hide to express hatred and malice.

“That is what is happening in Nigeria today. Individuals, groups, organizations, political parties, who had been against President Muhammadu Buhari, and who had been given bloody noses at the polls, are now using the smokescreen of insecurity to vent their spleen.

“We failed to oust him through the ballot box, let’s run him out of town by another means. Let’s instigate the country against him. But majority of Nigerians know better.”

Related Topics:#Femi Adesina Buhari Northern Elders

Up Next

2023: Tinubu, Osinbajo Told To Give Up Presidential Ambition For Southeast

Don't Miss

2023: Drama, Wike Shuns Edo Govt House, Party Secretariat, Meets Delegates At Late Anenih’s Residence

Comments

Politics

APC Senatorial Primaries: National Organising Secretary Clears Oden Ewa For Cross River Central, Others

Published

2 hours ago

May 18, 2026

Editor

Ahead of the ongoing scheduled All Progressives Congress (APC) Senatorial Primaries holding across the country today, Oden Ewa and seven others have been cleared by the National Organising Secretary (NOS) of the party at the just concluded screening exercise, to contest the primaries.

This was made public by NOS after the screening exercise in the State.

Ewa, the immediate past Commissioner for Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs, was cleared alongside the incumbent Senator representing Cross River Central Senatorial District, Senator Eteng Jonah Williams, who is planning for third term.

The contest in Central Senatorial District is said to be a hot chase between Ewa and the incumbent, however, Ewa is believed to have an edge as he is seen as a fresh start with new ideas for the district.

He is popular among the party leaders and commands huge following within the party followers and the Senatorial district for his various contributions to the development of the district over the years.

His aspiration also enjoys the support of the teeming youths in the area with many youth groups in the district lining behind him. He is said to fit into the aspirational needs of the youths and others within the district who are calling for new and fresh representation.

Others cleared by NOS for the primaries include; Asuquo Ekpenyoung (South); Adans Cecilia Omoniya, Senator Jarigbe Agom, Dr Johna Onyi Agba, and Mary Ogoba Ekpere Eta (North).

Politics

APC Members In Ikole LG Condemn Attacks On Members During Reps Primary

Published

20 hours ago

May 17, 2026

Editor

….Seek safer venues for remaining primaries

Members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) from Òkè-Àkò Ekiti, Irele-Ekiti and Ijowa-Ekiti in Ikole Local Government Area of Ekiti State have strongly condemned the violence, intimidation and attacks that characterised the House of Representatives Primary Election held in Ward 11, Ipao-Ekiti.

The APC members lamented that the exercise, which ought to have reflected the democratic ideals of the party, was unfortunately marred by violent attacks carried out by political thugs against party faithful perceived to be supporting a different aspirant from the one backed by the attackers.

Among those attacked were Hon. Samuel Adetiba and Mr. Ore Bamidele, the latter, who was beaten into a coma and is presently in critical condition at a private hospital in the locality where he is receiving medical attention.

Beyond the physical attacks on members, cmpaign banners belonging to the aspirant opposed by the attackers were also vandalised and destroyed during the incident.

The APC members expressed disappointment that the incident was orchestrated by one of the chairmanship candidates for the Among Local Community Development Authority (LCDA), in the presence of the APC leader in the Ekamefa area, Hon. Samuel Abejide, who did nothing to stop the attacks of the party faithful.

In addition to the physical assaults, properties belonging to APC members in Ipao-Ekiti were reportedly damaged, while elderly men and women from Òkè-Àkò Ekiti, Irele-Ekiti and Ijowa-Ekiti were allegedly molested, threatened and forcefully removed from voting queues simply for supporting aspirants of their choices.

Olaiya Ajibulu, who spoke on behalf of the affected party members expressed deep concern over what they described as a growing atmosphere of fear and political intolerance capable of undermining unity within the party and threatening the safety of members participating in future exercises.

Consequently, Ajibulu said that the affected APC members from the three communities appealed passionately to the leadership of the party in Ekiti State, as well as His Excellency, Governor Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji, to urgently intervene in the matter.

They also requested that subsequent APC primary elections involving the three communities be moved away from Ipao-Ekiti to a neutral and safer venue where the lives and rights of party members could be adequately protected.

“Alternatively, we appeal that Òkè-Àkò Ekiti, Irele-Ekiti and Ijowa-Ekiti should be allowed to conduct their remaining primary elections at a separate venue where members can freely exercise their democratic rights without intimidation, harassment, or fear of violence.” Ajibulu reiterated.

The affected members also sympathised with all victims of the attacks and prayed for the speedy recovery of those currently receiving medical attention, particularly Mr. Ore Bamidele.

They reaffirmed their commitment to the ideals of democracy, peaceful coexistence and party unity, while urging all stakeholders to ensure that future political exercises are conducted in an atmosphere of peace, fairness and mutual respect.

News

Logistics Challenges Mars APC Reps Primaries In Abia

Published

2 days ago

May 16, 2026

Editor

The House of Representatives primary elections of the All Progressive Congress, APC, in Abia State has been rocked by logistics challenges and reports of intense lobbying.

The exercise, scheduled to commence on Saturday morning, is yet to start in any part of the state as at 3:00 pm.

A visit by DAILY POST to several wards where the primary elections were supposed to hold in Umuahia showed that no party official was on duty.

At Amuzukwu Secondary School, Umuwaya Amuzukwu, Methodist Primary School at Crowther Street, Umuahia North Local Government Headquarters, no official of the APC or the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, staff was seen.

Two female police officers who were deployed to provide security in Umuwaya Amuzukwu were left in confusion as they could not meet any APC official at the centre.

Source disclosed that some of the aspirants in various constituencies in Abia State refused the offer to step down before the primares, insisting that they be allowed to test their popularity in the exercise.

Meanwhile, two leaders of the City Boys Movement in Abia State, Chinedu Orji and Lucky Igbokwe, who are aspiring for the Ikwuano/Umuahia Federal Constituency, have issued statements maintaining that they are firmly in the race.

Explaining the delay in the commencement of the APC primary election, Publicity Secretary of Abia State APC, Uche Aguoru, attributed the situation to logistics challenges.

Aguoru invited all House of Representatives aspirants and other party stakeholders to an “emergency mandatory meeting” to be held at APC new office by Saturday evening.