Vice President Kashim Shettima has called on the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) to resist attempts by what he described as mischief makers to sow division in the country.
He urged northern leaders to rally behind President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and work together to move Nigeria out of its current economic and social challenges.
Speaking at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Wednesday, October 29, when he received a delegation of ACF leaders led by its Board of Trustees Chairman, Alhaji Bashir Dalhatu, Shettima warned that divisive elements were exploiting religion and ethnicity to destabilise the country.
“We must continue to resist all attempts to divide us or stir mischief among us. Our future depends on unity, and unity must remain our creed,” he said.
The Vice President noted that while certain grievances in the country arose from genuine demands for fairness and inclusion, others were being championed purely out of greed and the desire to profit from chaos.
According to him, President Tinubu’s administration remained committed to identifying legitimate calls for justice while isolating those motivated by selfish interests.
“Every group, every faith, and every voice has a place in our national conversation. We will never accommodate marginalisation. Our policies are designed to create opportunities for all through education, inclusion, and enterprise,” Shettima added.
North ‘Must Not Allow Insecurity to Persist’
Reminding the northern elders of their stake in the administration, Shettima assured them of continuous partnership with the government to advance the region’s development.
“This government is yours. Your interests shall always find representation here, for I am one of you,” he declared.
The Vice President lamented that the North, once known for stability and vision, had become plagued by insecurity, mistrust and economic decline.
He stressed that the cycle of killings, deprivation and injustice must not be allowed to continue.
“We owe our people the duty of ending the cycle of killings and destruction and ensuring justice for victims of violence and deprivation,” he said.
Shettima outlined some of the administration’s economic and security initiatives, saying the government was transforming agriculture from subsistence farming into large-scale commercial activity by investing in agro-processing industries, microfinance for smallholder farmers, and industrial zones in Kano, Kaduna and Sokoto States.
On security, he revealed that coordinated military operations had neutralised several bandit leaders and restored relative peace in parts of the country, although he acknowledged that more needed to be done.
ACF Commends Tinubu’s Reforms
Earlier, ACF Chairman, Bashir Dalhatu, praised the Tinubu administration for its bold reforms and lauded Shettima’s commitment to national development.
He explained that the ACF delegation was at the Villa to show solidarity with the government and to formally invite the Vice President to the Forum’s 25th anniversary celebration.
Dalhatu disclosed that the ACF planned to launch an endowment fund to drive socio-economic growth across the North and to use the anniversary as a platform for engagement with other socio-cultural organisations to promote unity.
Also speaking, ACF National Executive Committee Chairman, Mamman Mike Osuman, said the anniversary would showcase the North’s potential while reaffirming its commitment to a united and prosperous Nigeria.
Other prominent ACF members present at the meeting included Senator Ibrahim Ida, Murtala Aliyu, Ambassador Ibrahim Mai-Sule, former IGP M.D. Abubakar (rtd), Ambassador Baba Ahmed Jidda, Mahmud Yayale Ahmed, and Lt. Gen. Abdurahman Bello Dambazau (rtd).
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