From Romanus Ugwu, Abuja
Northern group, under the auspices of Arewa New Frontiers (ANF), has condemned the utterance credited to former governor of Jigawa State, Sule Lamido, on the recent visit of 10 Northern State Governors to United States of America (USA).
Lamido had condemned the decision of the northern governors to participate in a two-day symposium organised by the United States Institute of Peace (USIP), to address the insecurity in Northern Nigeria.
Responding to Lamido’s comments, the Arewa Frontiers threatened to drag the former governor to the EFCC, if he did not allow the governors to find solutions to the problems plaguing the region.
Speaking at a press conference in Abuja, yesterday, Abubakar Lawal, National Coordinator of the group, lamented that a man who once held Foreign Affairs portfolio under Olusegun Obasanjo could come to the level of kicking against such moves.
“It is a fact that the northern states, especially the North West have of recent been hit by the dare devil activities of bandits and terrorists, and the need to go as far as China or across the red sea to find solution to this blight should be a welcome idea, instead of condemnation, as no one holds the monopoly to knowledge.
“Note that the USIP had invited 10 governors from North West and North Central Nigeria regions. This is not the first time some set of governors would participate in this kind of meeting. But this visit has since generated unnecessary uproar among few opposing voices in the country with the former governor of Jigawa State topping the list.
“While the ex-governor is still entitled to his freedom of speech, criticism and expression, we believe it is not the right time to condemn this all important move by the governors to salvage the high rate of insecurity that had taken over their states over the years before they were elected as governors. We want to believe the former governor was attacking the Jigawa State governor and not the nine other governors, but, for us, he has misfired. Lamido, for the avoidance of doubt should face his travails with the EFCC and allow the new governors find solutions to their problems.
“It is even annoying that a person who has held the Foreign Affairs portfolio, under former President Olusegun Obasanjo, would denigrate an international forum meant to find solutions to our problems. It is a shame that he has lost touch with realities. How did he know NIPSS and ASCON were not contacted to find solutions to the challenges.
He won’t know because he is an analogue politician,” the group noted.
The group further noted: “Again, we see his position on the visit as wasteful and baseless since the results for such visits and participation are not something swift to discern. What they might have discussed with their host secretly regarding strategies in tackling the insecurity menace in the north might not be something to disclose openly. So, it was unprofessional of the former foreign minister to quickly condemn this visit as someone with experience in foreign affairs. After all, even our democracy, judiciary and economic policies are ideas copied daily from the West,” the group noted.