Buhari’s Man Mum As Tinubu’s Northern Aides Fight

A prominent aide in the Muhammadu Buhari administration, Bashir Ahmad has brought to light the war of words between two key aides of President Bola Tinubu, Bello Matawalle and Hakeem Baba-Ahmed over the criticism of the administration by the Northern Elders Forum, NEF.

GWG.ng reports that the NEF had recently criticised President Tinubu over his alleged bias against the North asserting that it was a mistake for the North to have backed the president in the 2023 presidential election.

The criticism was immediately rebuffed by Matawalle, who is a minister of state, defence. However, responding to the criticism of the NEF, Baba-Ahmed who is presently special adviser to the President in the office of the Vice President, said that Matawalle should have been more discreet in his condemnation of the NEF.

GWG.ng reports that Baba-Ahmed served as spokesman of the NEF. The body was a critical voice against the Buhari administration and was sidelined by the administration in many of its actions.

Bashir Ahmad who served as a special assistant to Buhari on digital media brought the division between the two top Tinubu aides to light on his X handle.

He posted his reaction of Matawalle to what Baba-Ahmed said but without making a comment:

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.

H.E Bello Mohammed Matawalle MON

Minister of State for Defence,

Send Us A Press Statement Advertise With Us Contact Us

 And For More Nigerian News Visit GWG.NG