Food blockade: NEF disowns Baba-Ahmed’s statement, backs Gov Bello, Fani-Kayode’s intervention

By Idowu Bankole

The Northern Elder’s Forum has berated its director of publicity, over a recent statement on the intervention of Governor of Kogi State, Mr Yahaya Bello and a former Aviation Minister, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode on the recent strike action by the Amalgamated Union of Foodstuffs and Cattle Dealers in Nigeria which led to the blockage of food supply to the southern part of Nigeria.

Recall Vanguard had reported that Northern elders raise concerns over Gov Bello, Fani-Kayode’s intervention in traders’ strike

Dr Baba Ahmed had stated that “The Forum rejects the idea that the federal government or its agents could encourage the outsourcing of its duty and responsibility to protect citizens, to individuals who are neck-deep in encouraging violence and corruption of communal co-existence.

“The Forum would rather believe that the involvement of these people was contrived to render its purported intervention valueless.

But in a swift reaction, the Youth wing of NEF had countered the statement saying g it was done to serve the selfish interest of some people.

Also read: Herders/farmers clashes: Ogun Elders’ Consultative Forum calls for peaceful coexistence, dialogue among people

In a statement sent to Vanguard, the Director of Youths and Mobilization of the Northern Elder’s Forum. Nastura Ashir Shariff noted that it is regrettable that some people are using the platform of NEF to vent pent up personal political jealousies against some individuals

He said, “I write in my capacity as a Director in the Northern Elders Forum and one of its founding members in regards to a recent media statement by Dr Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, NEF’s spokesperson purportedly on behalf of the Forum.

“I can authoritatively say that the statement in which the personality of some individuals involved in the recent negotiations to resolve the food to South blockade issue was challenged, merely represents the personal view of the spokesperson, not that of NEF and made without due consultation.”

“To the best of my knowledge, there has not been a time when the general assembly of the Forum met to take a decision to that effect since the conclusion of the negotiations.”

“It is, therefore, unbecoming for one individual member to assume the sole ownership of the right to speak for a Forum that was painstakingly put together and managed without consultation with the general assembly.”

“Regrettably, this attitude had once led to a serious misunderstanding with one of our core founders in the past and should in no way be tolerated by anyone else.

“Unfortunately, such an overbearing attitude of using the platform of NEF to vent pent up personal political jealousies by the spokesperson has been on for a while to the irritation of other members.”

Vanguard News Nigeria 

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