
The Northern Ethnic Nationality Forum (NENF), a coalition of socio-cultural and political leaders from the 19 northern states, has called on President Bola Tinubu to immediately reshuffle his cabinet and overhaul the nationโs security architecture in response to Nigeriaโs worsening crises.
In a strongly worded statement issued Sunday in Abuja and signed by its Convener, Dominic Alancha, the Forum said it had โdeeply examined the painful conditions of the people of Northern Nigeria and the nation at largeโ and, after wide consultations, resolved to demand urgent and transformative action.
The group expressed dissatisfaction with what it described as the โglaring underperformanceโ of several ministers, warning that the current cabinet lacks both competence and political capital to effectively drive the governmentโs Renewed Hope Agenda.
โA ministerial appointment is not merely a reward for loyalty; it is a critical assignment. We therefore call on President Tinubu to immediately dissolve and reshuffle the Federal Executive Council (FEC), replacing underperforming ministers with individuals of proven integrity, exceptional capability and significant political influence,โ the statement read.
According to the Forum, a stronger cabinet is essential not only for national development but also for the Presidentโs political survival ahead of the 2027 elections.
On insecurity, NENF lamented that banditry, terrorism and kidnapping had crippled farming, commerce, and transportation across many states, describing the situation as a โfull-blown catastrophe.โ
It declared that the current Service Chiefs had failed despite enormous resources at their disposal, and therefore demanded their immediate dismissal. The Forum also called for the appointment of new military leaders with a clear, results-driven mandate and urged the declaration of a state of emergency on security in Northern Nigeria.
โThis is not a call for militarization but for a targeted, multi-agency emergency operation to flush out terrorists, dismantle their networks, and restore order,โ it stressed.
While commending Tinubuโs economic reforms such as fuel subsidy removal and foreign exchange unification, the Forum urged the government to consolidate these efforts with stronger interventions to cushion the hardship on citizens.
It recommended accelerated rollout of palliatives, massive investment in agriculture and manufacturing, and tangible improvements in power, transport, and infrastructure.
NENF also urged the President to demonstrate empathy and share in the sacrifices of Nigerians, warning of a growing disconnect between citizens and government.
โWe supported the Presidentโs ambition and desire to support him again in 2027, but that support is contingent on effective, empathetic and decisive governance. The time for action is now,โ the Forum declared.
Vanguard
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