By Seyi Babalola
Alhaji Bello Matawalle and Dr. Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, both appointees of President Bola Tinubu of northern extraction, are in tango over comments by Northern Elders Forum (NEF).
Matawalle, a minister of state, Ministry of Defence, had two days ago in a statement, condemned the NEF over its continued criticism of President Tinubu and his administration in strong terms.
And in another statement he issued today, Matawalle said, Baba-Ahmed, who is special adviser in the same administration, had found fault in his earlier statement criticising the NEF.
Matawalle said Baba-Ahmed had “suggested I could have done a better job in my defence of the administration where I have the rare honour to serve as a Minister.”
Full text of Matawalle’s statement…
Consequent to my position on the recent attack on the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR by a spokesman of the Northern Elders Forum (NEF), it has come to my attention that Dr. Hakeem Baba-Ahmed who once served as the Spokesperson of the group and currently a Special Adviser on Political Matters in the Presidency took to his page on it to express a different position.
According to Dr. Baba-Ahmed, my stand against the unjust and spurious attack against the new administration of President Tinubu that is working very hard to reposition our country and economy for better as ‘ill-advised’. He suggested I could have done a better job in my defence of the administration where I have the rare honour to serve as a Minister.
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.
E-Signed
H.E Bello Mohammed Matawalle MON
Minister of State for Defence
