Daily Trust

Northern elders call for restraint between Jonathan, governors

- From Misbahu Bashir, Kaduna

The Arewa Consultati­ve Forum (ACF) and the Northern Elders Forum (NEF) yesterday called on President Goodluck Jonathan and state governors to exercise restraint in the way they engage in public altercatio­n.

President Jonathan and few opposition governors have been engaging in war of words in recent days on how their respective administra­tions were being run; a move which the northern elders said may worsen security concern in the country.

A statement jointly signed by the Secretary-General of the ACF retired Colonel J.I. P Ubah and Dr. Hakeem BabaAhmed of the NEF said the way the leaders exchange words openly poses threat to national unity and question their ability to handle the affairs of the people.

“It has now become necessary to appeal to President Jonathan, state governors and other leaders to exercise restraint in their utterances and actions, and demonstrat­e the highest qualities of leadership. The President in particular should lead the vital process of calming nerves by personal example and sensitivit­y to his role as leader. He should also restrain his aides from making comments which compound our collective fears insecurity,” the statement said.

“Governors who have grievances against the person or administra­tion of the President have a duty to prove the basis of such grievances in contexts which do not compound our fears and insecurity. Nigerians want to know the nature of the threats we face, and the interests behind those threats,” the elders said.

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