Matawalle Advises Baba-Ahmed And Other Appointees To Stand Up For Tinubu Or Step Down

Bello Matawalle

BELLO Matawalle, the minister of state for defense, has urged Dr. Hakeem Baba-Ahmed and other Northern-born appointees to stand up for President Bola Tinubu and his administration or leave it.

Dr. Hakeem Baba-Ahmed and other appointees from the North have been urged by Minister of State for Defense Bello Matawalle to stand up for President Bola Tinubu and his administration, or step down from their positions.

On Monday, Matawalle responded to a statement made by Dr. Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, the Special Advisor on Political Matters in the Presidency, on his official Facebook page. Matawalle was responding to the statement issued by the Northern Elders Forum (NEF) expressing sorrow for their support of the administration.

Former NEF spokesman Dr. Baba-Ahmed disagreed with Matawalle, saying the organization was a “burden to the region” and a “political paperweight.”

Baba Ahmed responded by calling the approach “ill advised” and pointing out that Matawalle might have done a better job defending the administration without dehumanizing the group.

However, the Minister stated, “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,” the minister said.

Matawalle declared, “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.” They were appointees of the Northern government.

He emphasized that in the face of intimidation and false information about President Tinubu's accomplishments and efforts, now is not the time to remain silent.

„We must stand up to be counted for being on the part of government or take our exit,” Matawalle said.