Presidency: Northern Elders Forum Angered by Inaccessibility to National Resources

They’re shedding crocodile tears Buhari: I announced my 2nd term bid early in order to cool tempers

The Presidency yesterday in Abuja chided members of Northern Elders Forum (NEF) and other ethnic and regional leaders who recently met in Abuja to bemoan the spate of insecurity threatening the country, saying they are only angered by “inaccessibility to national resources.”

Also yesterday, President Muhammadu Buhari said he opted to declare his re-election bid early enough in order to cool tempers.

The coalition of NEF and other socio-cultural groups from different parts of the country had lamented the alleged failure of the Buhari administration to stem the tide of killings across the country, describing the government as incompetent.

But in a swift response, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu accused the leaders of merely shedding crocodile tears which he said were only driven by alleged selfishness.

Describing the gathering as an unholy alliance, Shehu, who also accused the leaders of allegedly unleashing assault on the administration of Buhari, which he said was inching closer to a second term in 2019, described the allegation that Buhari does nothing about insecurity as fake news.

According to him, those peddling the "fake news" on Buhari's alleged incompetence to solve the prevalent security crisis threatening the country should go and check a recent statement by his colleague, Mr. Femi Adesina, which he said highlighted various steps taken by the administration to address the menace.

Shehu said: "The Presidency considers a communiqué issued by some ethnic and sectional groups assembled in Abuja recently as the shedding of crocodile tears by selfish leaders, who felt alienated after a transparent and accountable system halted their disproportionate survival on resources of the state.

"The communiqué issued by the leaders of some sociocultural organisations led by the Northern Elders Forum (NEF) and some ethnic and sectional groups had accused the Buhari administration of incompetence in handling the security situation in the country.

"The Presidency urges Nigerians to ignore the unholy alliance by these groups who are stepping up their assault on the All Progressives Congress administration as it expands its national dominance and moves closer to securing an outright victory in the elections next year.

"The Presidency notes with dismay that the refrain about President Buhari not doing anything about security in the country had turned into the number one fake news item being peddled in the media.

"The Presidency refers all the purveyors of falsehood to a State House press release published a few days ago and signed by Special Adviser to the President, Femi Adesina, which clearly outlined the government's major achievements and initiatives in tackling security challenges from January to July, 2018.

"The press release which was titled: “Combating Insecurity in the Country: Lest We Forget – Presidency” listed on going security operations covering Benue, Taraba, Kogi, Nasarawa, Kaduna and Niger States launched in February to tackle cases of kidnappings, herdsmen/farmers’ clashes, among others; (2) Nigerian Air Force establishment of three new Quick Response Wings (QRW) in Taraba, Nasarawa and Benue States respectively, and deployment of Special Forces personnel.

"The press release also noted President Buhari's approval for the establishment of a new Battalion of the Nigerian Army, as well as a new Police Area Command, in Birnin Gwari Local Council in Kaduna State, as part of measures to scale up security in response to the banditry affecting the area.

"We advise Nigerians to read Adesina's statement if they haven't yet, or re-read it for better understanding of the efforts to ensure peace in the country. It is sad and misleading for anyone to say that President Buhari had not responded to the security challenges in the country.

"No one can honestly say that President Buhari is doing nothing about security. It's just a fake news item being peddled by selfish politicians with vested interests in keeping Nigerians incensed, and it risks being entrenched as reality if we don't educate ourselves with the truth."

Buhari: l Announced My Re-election Bid Early to Bring Out Serious Gladiators

Meanwhile, President Buhari yesterday in Abuja said he opted to declare his re-election bid early enough to challenge other serious contenders to pick up their gauntlets and throw their hats into the ring.

The President made this declaration while receiving members of Buhari Support Group, who had paid him a courtesy visit in the Presidential Villa.

Buhari who had declared his intention to return to the State House in 2019 on April 9, this year, shortly before his departure to London ahead of 2018 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), said when he made the announcement, a number of people had not only constituted a nuisance to themselves but also to other Nigerians.

On April 11, 2018, two days after announcing his intention to run in 2019 at a meeting of the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Abuja, Buhari told Archbishop Justin Welby in London, that he opted to make his reelection bid known before leaving Nigeria because people were talking too much about it.

But yesterday, aside stating that he did so to bring out gladiators, the president said he also made his intention known in April to save a lot of time and douse tension, further adding that he had tried to ensure that the party is reorganised in a way that everyone has a sense of belonging.

He thanked members of the group whom he said had consistently supported him without getting any reward.

"I have to thank you for identifying yourself as a group consistently for all these years and getting nothing for it visibly. I think it is worthy of commendation and I am extending my personal appreciation for your principle. For you to identify openly with this organisation all these years, it means a lot. Thank you for your time, for meeting from time to time to consolidate on your tactics, I am sincerely grateful to you.

"I had to announce before the National Executive Committee (NEC) about my intention to ask for the party’s nomination for next year’s election so that we can save a lot of time and cool tempers.

"A lot of people are trying to make it a habit of being a nuisance to themselves and to too many Nigerians. So, when I announced my intention, I said 'okay, let those who are serious come out,' and I try to make sure that the party is reorganised and consolidated so that we start from bottom to top, so that Nigerians will be involved and that each constituency will pick those they want to represent them at various levels whether local government chairmen, counsellors, state houses of assembly, House of Representatives, Senate and finally the Presidency itself," he said.

He emphasised the need for voter education, pointing out that he had been advising governors to champion voters' education even if it may not be in their interest.”

Speaking on behalf of the group, Umar Dembo, told Buhari that the group was putting plans in place to publish a book on the achievements of his administration.