NEF: Matawalle issues strong warning to northerners in Tinubu’s cabinet

Bello Mohammed Matawalle, the Minister of State for Defence, on Monday challenged all appointees of President Bola Tinubu’s led administration from the north including Dr Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, the Political Adviser to the President to take a stand up to be counted for being on the part of the Administration or exit immediately.

In a statement made available to Defence Correspondents in Abuja against the silence of Dr. Hakeem Baba-Ahmed and others who he accused of being quiet despite the onslaught against the Tinubu’s administration by the Northern Elders Forum (NEF).

The Minister pointed out that the need for Baba-Ahmed in specifically to take a stand was imperative in view of his position as Special Adviser on Political Matters in the Presidency.

The statement reads, ‘’Consequent to my position on the recent attack on the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR by a spokesman of the Northern Elders Forum (NEF), it has come to my attention that Dr. Hakeem Baba-Ahmed who once served as the Spokesperson of the group and currently a Special Adviser on Political Matters in the Presidency took to his page on it to express a different position.

” According to Dr. Baba-Ahmed ,my stand against the unjust and spurious attack against the new administration of President Tinubu that is working very hard to reposition our country and economy for better as ‘ill-advised’. He suggested I could have done a better job in my defence of the administration where I have the rare honour to serve as a Minister.

“Dr. Baba-Ahmed’s relationship and affinity with Northern Elders’ Forum(NEF)is well-known. The fact now is that he is an appointee of the administration as Special Adviser and it is incumbent on him to work for the success of the government he is part of, protect and defend the government against unjust and vicious attacks from those who hide under ethnic and other primordial interests to heat up the polity for myopic reasons

” It is pertinent to state that every appointee of President Tinubu including Dr. Baba-Ahmed owe the government a copious duty to promote, elucidate and advance the good works and commendable efforts of the government across all sectors.

“As appointees of the government from the North, it is necessary that we make a clear statement, stand by our decision, be unequivocal and be counted in the roll of honours for our support and work for the success of the administration we are serving.

“We must stand up to be counted for being on the part of government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR, or take our exit, this is not the time to keep quiet in the face of intimidation and misrepresentation of the efforts and achievements.”