“We Must Defend the North” – IBB Speaks on Regional Interests

General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (IBB), a former military president, has stated that Northern Nigeria needs powerful supporters who will genuinely work to promote the region and protect its interests.
IBB reportedly said this when representatives of the Arewa Cohesion for Peace, Unity and Development Initiative, led by Alhaji Attahiru Dalhatu Bafarawa, the former governor of Sokoto State and chairman of the organization’s board of trustees, visited his hilltop residence in Minna, Niger State, on Wednesday.
IBB gave his support and praised the initiative taken to start the movement.

He underlined that, especially at this point in Nigeria’s history, the North needs a movement of this kind supported by respectable people like Alhaji Bafarawa and Dr. Abdullahi Idris, the movement’s director general.
He called on the Arewa cohesion officials to continue to be steadfast in protecting the country’s interests as well as those of the north.

“The new advocacy group for northern unity and good governance has emerged at a crucial time when the region requires strong voices,” the former military leader said.

Alhaji Attahiru Dalhatu Bafarawa, the Chairman of the Board of Trustees, said in his speech that the Arewa Cohesion Movement was founded because the North needs a strong voice to protect its interests in national affairs.

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Nigerians Will Sleep Well If There Is Peace – Bafarawa
Alhaji Bafarawa said that both the North and Nigeria urgently need peace and efficient democratic procedures to fulfill the demands of the public in a press conference after his meeting with IBB about the situation of the country and the future of the North.

He underlined that it is improper to blame Nigeria’s problems on any one area and called on leaders and citizens to stand together in order to progress the country.

In order to find out how our leader is feeling and to get his opinion on the current state of affairs and how to proceed with Nigeria, we have come to inquire about his health.

Therefore, it is our responsibility to choose how we can help ourselves—not even the government. People in Nigeria will sleep comfortably if there is peace. Therefore, it is our responsibility to explore what we can do to help the north and the nation as a whole advance.

He blessed our arrival and promised to continue guiding us in all that we do when we explained the reason for our visit.

“This country needs peace and unity.” Additionally, democracy cannot exist without opposition. Therefore, we must let democracy flourish. Therefore, I fail to see why anyone might claim that there is no opposition.
“I’m taking a sabbatical. I haven’t given up politics entirely. I am not a member of the APC, the PDP, or any other political party, nor even the coalition movement, but that is what we are doing at the moment. I’m approaching politics in a really constructive manner so that people will see what it’s all about. Even if we are going to help someone, you must first develop a plan to explain the issues to us so that we can figure out how we can help you advance our area and the nation,” Bafarawa stated.

Bafarawa asserted that it is incorrect to attribute the nation’s problems to a specific area, stating that “if your head or your eye is sick, it will affect all your body.” No Nigerian understands the folly of referring to the North or the South. Let us ensure that Nigeria is a part of anything we do.

“The initiative aims to promote unity and development in the North, ensuring that appropriate measures are taken to foster the region’s progress,” said Dr. Abdullahi Idris, Director General of Arewa Cohesion, in his remarks.

According to him, Nigerians are not happy with the current security situation, which emphasizes the need for group efforts to effect positive change.

He thanked the former president for working with the cause and supporting it.