Bello Matawalle, the Minister of State for Defence, has urged Dr. Hakeem Baba-Ahmed and other appointees of Northern extraction to stand in defense of President Bola Tinubu and his government or consider stepping down from their positions.
Matawalle made this call on Monday in response to a statement by Dr. Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, the Special Adviser on Political Matters in the Presidency. Dr. Baba-Ahmed had expressed disagreement with Matawalle’s characterization of the Northern Elders Forum (NEF) as “political paperweight” and a “burden to the region.”
In his reaction, Baba-Ahmed suggested that Matawalle could have defended the administration without disparaging the NEF.
Matawalle emphasized that Baba-Ahmed’s affiliation with the NEF is well-known and noted that as a Special Adviser to the administration, Baba-Ahmed is obligated to work for the government’s success and protect it from unwarranted attacks.
He emphasized the duty of every appointee of President Tinubu to promote and defend the government’s achievements, particularly in the face of criticism fueled by ethnic or other narrow interests.
Matawalle stressed that silence in the face of misrepresentation of President Tinubu’s efforts is unacceptable and urged Northern appointees to either stand firmly in support of the government or step down from their positions.
“We must stand up to be counted for being on the part of government or take our exit,” Matawalle asserted.