The Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, has asked the Special Adviser on Political Matters in the Presidency, Dr Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, to defend President Bola Tinubu and not the Northern Elders Forum (NEF).

Matawalle said this via a statement issued on Monday, April 15, 2024, in reaction to Baba-Ahmed’s statement on the minister’s condemnation of the NEF over comments against Tinubu.

The minister had, last Saturday, berated the NEF over its recent comment that it regretted supporting Tinubu in the 2023 general election.

Matawalle described the NEF’s statement expressing regret for voting for Tinubu in the 2023 election as unfortunate, noting that the group “is more or less a political paperweight trying to embark on a destructive journey that will bring the North to disrepute for the group’s personal and selfish gains.”

Baba-Ahmed who once served as the spokesperson for the group and currently a Special Adviser on Political Matters in the Presidency expressed a different position.

However, the minister, on Monday, said every appointee of President Tinubu, including Baba-Ahmed, owes the government a duty to promote and defend its actions.

‘Burden to Northerners’: Minister slams NEF over comments against Tinubu

He stated: “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, we must all take a stand, be unequivocal and be counted in the roll of honours for our support and work for the success of the administration we are serving.

“This is not the time to keep quiet in the face of intimidation and misrepresentation of the efforts and achievements of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR.

“We must stand up to be counted for being on the part of government or take our exit.”

The Star