Former Military President Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida has said strong voices are needed at the moment to defend the interests and work for the development of Northern Nigeria.
Babangida said this when he received officials of the Arewa Cohesion for Peace, Unity and Development Initiative, led by Chairman of its Board of Trustees and former governor of Sokoto State, Alhaji Attahiru Dalhatu Bafarawa at his Hilltop Residence in Minna, Niger State on Wednesday.
He welcomed the idea of setting up the movement and pledged his support, adding that the North needs such a group supported by credible people such as Bafarawa and the Director General of the movement, Dr Abdullahi Idris, at this time in Nigeria’s history.
He advised the officials of the Arewa Cohesion to be steadfast in the defence of northern interests and those of the nation, saying the group’s emergence was timely.
Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Alhaji Attahiru Dalhatu Bafarawa, said the North needed a strong voice to protect its interests in Nigeria, hence the establishment of the Arewa Cohesion Movement.
He told Babangida that Arewa Cohesion would be launched in Kaduna on July 10, 2025, and sought his support and blessings
Bafarawa said the North and Nigeria are in dire need of peace and good democratic practices to meet the interests of the citizens.
According to the former Governor of Sokoto State, it is not the right to blame any region for Nigeria’s problems and called for unity among leaders and citizens to move the country forward.
“We have come to check on the health of our leader to know how he is feeling and to seek advice on the current situation and how to move Nigeria forward.
“So, it is our task to see what we can do to assist ourselves, not even assisting the government, but assisting ourselves. If there is peace, Nigerians will sleep well. So, it is our duty to see what we can do so that the north and the country in general can move forward.
“We told him the purpose of our visit, and he blessed our coming and assured that he would continue to guide us in everything we do.
“We need unity; we need peace in this country. And without opposition, there is no democracy. So, we have to allow democracy to grow. So, I don’t see any reason why somebody should say that there is no opposition.
“I am on sabbatical leave. I have not completely quit politics. But what we are doing now, I am not a member of APC; I am not a member of PDP; I am not a member of any political party, not even the coalition movement.
“I am doing my politics in a very positive way, in a way that people would understand what it is all about.
“Even if we are going to support anybody, you have to come up with a blueprint to tell us the problems and we see how we can assist and support you to move our region and the country forward”, he said.
