Vice President Kashim Shettima has referred to as on members of the Arewa Consultative Discussion board (ACF) to withstand the antics of mischief makers making an attempt to sow division and undermine Nigeria’s unity.
Shettima made the decision on Wednesday when he acquired a delegation of the ACF led by Ibrahim Dalhatu, chairman of its Board of Trustees, on the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
He urged northern leaders to face in solidarity with President Bola Tinubu and help the Renewed Hope Agenda, stressing that “there isn’t any higher time than now for the leaders of the North to unite in supporting efforts by the Tinubu administration to steer the nation out of its present financial and social challenges.”
The Vice President informed members of the area’s apex socio-cultural organisation to “resist the antics of some mischief makers who search to fragment the unity of Nigeria.”
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He drew a distinction between greed and grievance as propounded by what he described as “architects of contemporary battle,” noting that whereas some agitations come up from real grievances looking for justice and equity, others are fuelled by greed, the need to take advantage of dysfunction for egocentric acquire.
In accordance with him, the Tinubu administration is dedicated to “recognizing the distinction between real grievances and greed,” with a view to embracing respectable requires fairness and inclusion whereas isolating forces that search to revenue from chaos.
“We’ve confirmed repeatedly that our variety is our energy — that our variations in tribe, religion, and geography are the very bricks that make this home of future we dwell in. For this reason we should proceed to withstand all makes an attempt to divide us or stir mischief amongst us. Our future is determined by unity, and unity should stay our creed,” he said.
Shettima dismissed claims of ethnic or non secular bias being promoted by peddlers of marginalisation, saying each group, religion, and tribe has a voice underneath the Tinubu administration.
“What we do as a authorities is to make sure that each group, each neighborhood, each religion, and each voice finds its place within the nationwide dialog. We’ll by no means accommodate the marginalisation of any group. Our insurance policies are designed to create alternatives for all — to carry each neighborhood by way of inclusion, training, and enterprise,” he mentioned.
The Vice President assured northern leaders that they continue to be integral to the Tinubu-led authorities, which is able to accomplice with the ACF in advancing the area’s and the nation’s collective pursuits.
He mentioned, “The trajectory of the North has been a sobering one. We started as a area outlined by stability, imaginative and prescient, and a deep dedication to constructing bridges throughout ethnic, non secular, and geographic divides. However what we’ve got at this time is a geography scarred by insecurity, distrust, and financial decline.
“We can not afford to permit this chaos to fester. We owe our folks the responsibility of ending the cycle of killings and destruction which have crippled our communities, and of guaranteeing justice for victims of violence and deprivation.
“This authorities is yours. Your pursuits shall all the time discover illustration right here, for I’m certainly one of you. The place there may be any shortcoming, you’ve got direct entry to me. We exist to serve you, symbolize you, and uphold the values that make the North an equal stakeholder in Nigeria’s identification.”
Shettima additionally outlined deliberate efforts being made by the administration to reposition the fortunes of the North, noting that the Renewed Hope Agenda prioritises training, agriculture, industrialisation, and safety as pillars of the area’s revival.
He mentioned the federal government is reforming training to strengthen native authorities autonomy and promote entry by way of the Nigeria Schooling Mortgage Fund (NELFUND), which has enabled thousands and thousands of northern college students to pursue tertiary training with out monetary constraints.
“We’re increasing vocational and technical coaching centres to organize our youth for roles in agriculture, manufacturing, and expertise,” he added.
Shettima defined that Nigeria has moved past subsistence farming to large-scale business ventures remodeling the North’s arable land into the nation’s meals and industrial spine.
“We’re constructing agro-processing industries to create jobs and worth chains, investing in microfinance techniques to help smallholder farmers and MSMEs, and establishing industrial zones in key states reminiscent of Kano, Kaduna, and Sokoto to draw textile, leather-based, and food-processing industries,” he mentioned.
On safety, the Vice President reiterated that nationwide safety stays the administration’s high precedence, noting that coordinated operations have neutralised a number of infamous bandit leaders and restored relative calm to beforehand troubled communities.
Earlier, ACF BoT chairman Dalhatu recommended the Tinubu administration for its daring reforms and applauded the Vice President’s dedication and help for its achievements.
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“We’re pleased with what you might be doing as Vice President and of this administration’s progress in tough instances. You’re doing job aiding the President in operating the nation, and we’re all the time joyful to determine with you,” Dalhatu mentioned.
He defined that the ACF delegation visited the Presidential Villa to precise solidarity with the federal government and formally invite Shettima to the forthcoming twenty fifth anniversary celebration of the Discussion board. The group additionally plans to launch an endowment fund to drive socio-economic growth throughout the North.
Mamman Osuman, ACF Nationwide Government Committee chairman, mentioned the anniversary would showcase the North’s potential and reaffirm its dedication to a united, affluent Nigeria, pledging the Discussion board’s help for the Renewed Hope Agenda.
Different ACF members on the assembly included Vice Chairman Ibrahim Ida; Secretary Common Murtala Aliyu; BoT Vice Chairman Ibrahim Mai-Sule; former IGP M.D. Abubakar (rtd); Yayale Ahmed; Abdurahman Danbazau; Beni Lar; Aishatu Ismail; and Christine Gadzama, amongst others.
