Resist Moves To Divide Nigeria, Shettima Tells Arewa Leaders

The Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima, has urged the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) to stand in solidarity with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

According to him, “there is no better time than now for the leaders of the North to stand together as one” in support of efforts by the Tinubu administration to wriggle the nation out of the economic and social morass it was hitherto enmeshed in.

The Vice President called on Wednesday during an audience with a delegation from the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) led by its Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Alhaji Bashir Dalhatu, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

Senator Shettima, in a statement by his spokesman, Stanley Nkwocha, told members of the region’s apex socio-cultural organisation to resist the antics of a few mischief makers to fragment the unity of Nigeria.

He distinguished greed and grievance as propounded by those he described as “architects of modern conflict,” observing that, “while some agitations arise from genuine grievances seeking justice and fairness, others are fuelled by greed—by the quest to exploit disorder for selfish gain.”

He said the task before the Tinubu administration was to spot the difference between genuine grievance and greed, to embrace “legitimate calls for equity and inclusion, and to isolate the forces that seek to profit from chaos.”

“We have proven, time and again, that our diversity is our strength, that our differences in tribe, faith, and geography are the very bricks that make this house of destiny we live in.

This is why we must resist all attempts to divide or stir mischief among us. Our future depends on unity, and unity must remain our creed,” he stated.

The Vice President assured the northern leaders that they are an integral part of the Tinubu-led federal government and that the administration is ready to partner with the ACF to advance the cause of the region and the nation.

He said, “The trajectory of the North, however, has been sobering. We began as a region defined by stability, vision, and a deep commitment to building bridges across ethnic, religious, and geographic divides. But what we have inherited today is a geography scarred by insecurity, mistrust, and economic decline.

“We cannot afford to allow this chaos to fester. We owe our people not only the burden of ending the cycle of killings and destruction that have crippled our communities, but also the duty of ensuring justice for victims of violence and deprivation.

“This government is yours. Your interests shall always find representation here, for I am one of you. And where there is a shortcoming, I assure you that you have direct access to me. We exist to serve you, to represent you, and to uphold the values that make the North an equal stakeholder in Nigeria’s identity.”

Senator Shettima outlined what he described as deliberate steps being taken by the administration to reposition the fortunes of the North. He said President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda “prioritises education, agriculture, industrialisation, and security as the pillars of northern revival.”

He continued: “We are strengthening the foundations of education through reforms that empower local governments and promote fiscal autonomy at the grassroots. Through the Nigeria Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), millions of northern students now have access to tertiary education without the financial barriers that once held them back.

“We are expanding vocational and technical training centres to prepare our youth for roles in agriculture, manufacturing, and technology.”

The VP explained that under the current administration, Nigeria has moved beyond subsistence farming to large-scale commercial ventures, transforming the vast arable land in the North into the nation’s food and industrial backbone.

“We are building agro-processing industries to create jobs and value chains, investing in microfinance systems to support smallholder farmers and MSMEs, and establishing industrial zones in key states such as Kano, Kaduna, and Sokoto to attract textile, leather, and food-processing industries,” he added.

VP Shettima said national security remains the administration’s top priority. “Through coordinated security operations, we have neutralised notorious bandit leaders and restored relative stability to once-besieged communities. This is the foundation upon which we intend to rebuild the North—through peace, through justice, and through economic empowerment,” he noted.

Earlier, Chairman of the BoT of ACF, Alhaji Dalhatu, commended the Tinubu administration for its bold reforms and applauded the Vice President’s commitment and support for the achievements recorded so far.

The BoT Chair said, “We are proud of what you are doing as Vice President and of the work and achievements of this administration. You are doing a good job of assisting the President in running the country’s affairs in difficult times. We are always happy to identify with you.”

He explained that the group was at the Presidential Villa to express solidarity with the government and formally invite the Vice President to the forthcoming 25th anniversary celebration of the ACF and deliberations on the region’s development.

Alhaji Dalhatu said, among other things, that the ACF intends to launch an endowment fund to drive the socio-economic development of the northern region, especially by building models across different sectors that would be emulated by state governments in the region.

He added that the 25th anniversary celebration would also provide a platform for ACF to interact with other socio-cultural organisations across the country for the future and development of Nigeria.

For his part, Chairman of the National Executive Committee of ACF, Mamman Mike Osuman, said the socio-cultural organisation will use the 25th anniversary to showcase the potentials of the northern region and make a bold statement about its commitment to a one, prosperous, united country.

He pledged the ACF’s support for implementing the Renewed Hope Agenda and achieving the Tinubu administration’s targets.

Also present at the meeting were the ACF Vice Chairman, Sen Ibrahim Ida; Secretary General, Murtala Aliyu, and BoT Vice Chairman, Amb. Ibrahim Mai-Sule.

Others include Alh Nasiru Danu; Ibrahim Sidi Bamalli, former IGP, M.D. Abubakar (rtd); Amb. Baba Ahmed Jidda; Mahmud Yayale Ahmed; Lt. Gen. Abdurahman Bello Danbazau (rtd); Nasiru Sani Isa (Wamban Kebbi); Hon. Beni Lar; Maimuna Yaya Abubakar; Aishatu M.S. Ismail; H.E. Muktar Lamara Yero; DIG Habila Joshak (rtd), and Mrs Christine Gadzama.