Northern Elders Forum brings up north-south politics of okada ban in Lagos

The Northern Elders Forum (NEF) has made wide-ranging comments on various national issues from the 2019 general election to the ban Lagos  put on okada and tricycle commercial operation in the mega city.

NEF, which campaign vigorously against President Muhammadu Buhari, in favour of a younger presidential candidate from the north, now described as a total failure, reminding Nigerians it warned them against voting for him in 2019.

NEF said the Buhari-led government appeared helpless in finding solutions to the numerous challenges the country is faced with.

The elders’ position was made public by the Forum’s Director, Advocacy and Engagement, Dr. Hakeem Baba-Ahmad shortly after a meeting convened by the chairman of the forum, Professor Ango Abdullahi.

“It is shocking that in spite of unprecedented consensus among Nigerians that the administration requires a new resolve, approach and leadership in the fight against the nation’s multiple security challenges, President Buhari appears either totally isolated or in deep denial over the result of his failures to secure Nigerians,” the statement read in part.

“The Forum demands a thorough overhaul of the leadership of our security and public safety agencies, and the injection of higher levels of competence, integrity and accountability in the manner our troops and the police and security agencies deal with security challenges. We appeal to our religious leaders and fellow citizens not to fall into the trap of insurgents to set us up against each other.”

The group also commented on the latest policy of the Lagos state government, briging up the north-south politics that many always observe.

“With due respect to the rights of the Lagos State Government to take decisions that improve the environment and public safety, we are constrained to draw attention to the impact of its policy on banning Okada and Keke in parts of the State on the poor and operators, many of them from the North, who earn honest living through this trade.

“We urge restraint in the responses of those who are immediately affected by this policy, while we urge Northern State Governments to mobilize and support the people who will be compelled to relocate back to the North with other sources of legitimate living.”

Gov Babajide Sanwo-Olu has insisted there’s no going back on the policy.

Those that attended the NEF meeting were: Abdullahi, former Chief of Defence Staff, Air Marshal Alamin Daggash (retd); Secretary of the Coalition of Northern Groups, Abdullahi Usman and Ambassador Yahaya Kwande; Deputy National Chairman of NEF, Alhaji Bello Kirfi (Wazirin Bauchi), DIG Labaran Wurno, Alhaji Yakubu Shehu and former MD, defunct Bank of the North, Hajiya Amina Yahaya, among others.