• VP seeks support for President, dispels marginalisation claims
Vice President Kashim Shettima yesterday assured northern leaders that the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is fair to all ethnic nationalities across the country.
The Vice President dispelled claims of marginilasion against any ethnic nationality.
He informed the northern leaders that the Tinubu administration was working to address the social and economic challenges plaguing the country, stressing that many of those complaining were doing so out of greed and selfishness.
Shettima said this yesterday while hosting a delegation of Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), led by its Board of Trustees (BoT) Chairman, Alhaji Bashir Dalhatu, at the State House in Abuja.
The Vice President urged northern leaders to rally behind President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
A statement by the Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to the President on Media and Communications in the Office of the Vice President, Stanley Nkwocha, said Shettima told the delegation that it was time the North united behind the President’s reform efforts, urging them to resist the antics of those he called mischief makers to fragment the unity of Nigeria.
He drew a distinction between greed and grievance, as propounded by those he called “architects of modern conflict”.
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Shettima noted that “while some agitations arise from genuine grievances seeking justice and fairness, others are fuelled by greed – by the quest to exploit disorder for selfish gain”.
The Vice President said the task before the Tinubu administration is to spot the difference between genuine grievance and greed with a view to embracing “legitimate calls for equity and inclusion, and to isolate the forces that seek to profit from chaos”.
He added: “We have proven, time and again, that our diversity is our strength, that our differences in tribe, faith, and geography are the very bricks that make this house of destiny we live in. This is why 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 stated.
Debunking the claims of ethnic and religious bias against some sections of the country, Shettima said every group, faith, and tribe has a voice in national affairs under the Tinubu administration.
The Vice President assured all that no section of the country would be marginalised.
“What we do as a government is to ensure that every group, every community, every faith, and every voice finds its place in the national conversation. We will never accommodate the marginalisation of any group.”
Our policies are designed to create opportunities for all; to lift every community through inclusion, education, and enterprise,” he said.
Shettima also assured northern leaders that they remained an integral part of the Tinubu-led government, adding that the administration was ready to partner the ACF to advance the region’s development and the nation’s progress.
According to him, the North, once known for stability and unity, now faces insecurity, mistrust, and economic decline.
Shettima stressed the need to restore peace and justice in the region through constitutional means.
“This government is yours. Your interests shall always find representation here, for I am one of you. Where there is a shortcoming, you have direct access to me. We exist to serve you and uphold the values that make the North an equal stakeholder in Nigeria’s identity,” he said.
Highlighting efforts to reposition the region, the Vice President said the Renewed Hope Agenda prioritises education, agriculture, industrialisation, and security as pillars of northern revival.
According to him, ongoing reforms through the Nigeria Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) have opened access to tertiary education for millions of students, while the government is expanding vocational and technical centres to prepare young people for roles in agriculture, manufacturing, and technology.
He added that Nigeria has moved beyond subsistence farming to large-scale commercial agriculture, turning the North’s vast arable land into the nation’s food and industrial hub.
“We are building agro-processing industries to create jobs and value chains, investing in microfinance systems to support smallholder farmers and MSMEs, and establishing industrial zones in key states, such as Kano, Kaduna, and Sokoto,” he said.
Commenting on the state of security, Shettima stated that restoring peace remained the government’s top priority.
The Vice President also stated that coordinated operations have neutralised bandit leaders and restored stability to many communities.
Dalhatu had praised the Tinubu administration for its bold reforms and applauded Shettima’s support for the President’s vision.
“We are proud of what you are doing as Vice President as well as the achievements of this administration. You are doing a good job of assisting the President in running the affairs of the country in difficult times. We are always happy to identify with you,” he said.
The BoT chairman said the ACF’s visit was meant to show solidarity with the government and to formally invite the Vice President to the forum’s forthcoming 25th anniversary celebration, which will focus on the development of the northern region.
He added that the ACF planned to launch an endowment fund to drive the region’s socio-economic growth and build sectoral models that could be adopted by state governments.
Also, the ACF National Executive Committee Chairman, Mamman Mike Osuman, said the 25th anniversary celebration would highlight the North’s potential and reaffirm its commitment to a united and prosperous Nigeria.
He pledged the forum’s support for the realisation of the Renewed Hope Agenda and other developmental goals of the Tinubu administration.
Other members of the delegation included ACF Vice Chairman, Senator Ibrahim Ida; Secretary General, Murtala Aliyu; BoT Vice Chairman, Ibrahim Mai-Sule; Alhaji Nasiru Danu; Baba Ahmed Jidda; Mahmud Yayale Ahmed; Lt.-Gen. Abdurahman Dambazau (retd.); former IGP M. D. Abubakar (retd.); DIG Habila Joshak (retd.); Beni Lar; Maimuna Yaya Abubakar; Aishatu M. S. Ismail; H. E. Muktar Lamara Yero; and Mrs. Christine Gadzama.