Sule Lamido, a former governor of Jigawa state, has appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to secure Nigerians.
He said this in reaction to a statement credited to Femi Adesina, presidential spokesman, that the Northern Elders Forum (NEF) is a one-man army.
NEF had criticised Buhari over “his failure” to secure Nigerians but in his response, Adesina said the forum lacked credible membership and is known to show antipathy to the president.
But in a Facebook post on Tuesday, Lamido said the issues raised by NEF are real and that every Nigerian shares same concerns.
He reminded Buhari that before he became president, many members of NEF were his “loyal troops through thick and thin” and never abandoned him in defeat.
He said Buhari needs to ask himself why they have abandoned him now.
“I urge Mr President to reflect deeply on the response in his defense made on the statement of the Northern Elders Forum on the STATE OF NATION ON SECURITY by Femi Adesina,” he wrote.
“Sir, if you reflect on your political evolution from APP, ANPP, CPC to ACN the likes of Prof Ango and Hakeem Baba Ahmed and many more in the NEF have been your loyal troops through thick and thin and have never abandoned you even in defeat!
“The question you should ask yourself is why have they abandoned you in Victory to political mercenaries like Femi and Garba who are with you only for the pay?
“Sir the issues they raised are real and each and every Nigerian except Femi and Garba share these concerns, even you as our C in C claimed not to be aware of our insecurity situation until the likes of NEF raised the red alarm!
“You need to also read the warning written by Elder Statesman Bashir Tofa to Nigerian Big Men on the analysis of Insecurity in Nigeria, our Sub Region and Africa.
“I hope the General without troops Femi was referring to sarcastically is not you sir! You have many capable hands around you sir, listen to them, engage them. You are the man of the moment. Ignore Femi, ignore Garba, keep paying them if only for charity, but please secure us!”
