The Presidency is angry with the convener of the Northern Elders Forum (NEF), Professor Ango Abdullahi for alleging that the insecurity in some northern states of the country was an indication that President Muhammadu Buhari and the governors of those states have lost control over the protection of the people which is a constitutional duty.
In a statement today, June 14, special adviser to the President on media and publicity, Femi Adesina said: “we are not surprised by this latest statement by Prof. Abdullahi, and our past position on what his group represents remains unchanged: a mere irritant and featherweight.”
Adesina noted that Ango Abdullahi is only floating Northern Elders Forum (NEF) to cause mischief, adding that hearing the name, NEF, one would think the body is a conglomeration of true elders.
“But the truth is that NEF is just Ango Abdullahi, and Ango Abdullahi is NEF. It is a quasi-organization that boasts of no credible membership, and its leader is akin to a General without troops.”
The presidential spokesman recalled that before the 2019 presidential election, the one-man army called NEF had shown its antipathy against President Buhari, and its preference for another candidate but that thet all got beaten together.
“NEF is merely waving a flag that is at half-mast. President Buhari steadily and steadfastly focuses on the task of retooling Nigeria, and discerning Nigerians know the true state of the nation. They don’t need a paper tiger to tell them anything.”
