•Northern delegates agree region must present united front in political choice going forward

Former Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, weekend, slammed the governing All Progressives Congress (APC) for being insensitive to the plight of citizens and prioritising politics.

Malami said instead of addressing serious issues of insecurity, economic hardship, and rising poverty, APC had chosen to focus on politics, endorsing President Bola Tinubu ahead of an election that was still two years away.

Malami spoke on Sunday in Abuja at the National Political Consultative Group (North) meeting, with former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former presidential candidate Peter Obi, and former governor of Rivers State, Chibuike Amaechi was in attendance.

That was as northern delegates to the national coalition resolved to present a united front in political choice going forward.

Delivering a key note address at the meeting, Malami underscored how bad policies, including the unplanned removal of fuel subsidy and bad management of borders, were adversely affecting the economy of northern Nigeria.

He stated, “Just a few days ago, the ruling party held its national summit and instead of addressing the serious issues of insecurity, economic hardship and rising poverty, it chose to focus on politics, endorsing President Bola Tinubu as sole candidate for the 2027 election that is still two years away.”

Malami, who was AGF in the President Muhammadu Buhari administration, said it was shocking that the government abandoned governance in the face of pressing economic and security challenges.

According to him, reckless decisions by the Tinubu administration have crippled agriculture, which was the backbone of the north.

A communique from the meeting, signed by former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal, stated, “Concerned by the worsening insecurity situation, which has aggravated poverty, loss of lives and property, unemployment and destitution in the entire northern region, the Second Expanded Meeting of the National Political Consultative Group (North) held at the Ladi Kwali Hall, Continental Hotel, Abuja on Sunday, May 25, 2025.

“The group is founded with the objective of uniting Northern political leaders and forging a strong relationship and working as a united interest group, as much as possible within a political party.

“The meeting was attended by prominent political leaders drawn from all the 19 states and the FCT with the main focus of reviewing the challenges of insecurity in the north.

“A keynote address was presented to the meeting by Mallam Abubakar Malami SAN.

“Goodwill messages were received by leaders from the South-south, South-east and South-west geo-political regions of the country, represented by Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, Mr. Peter Obi, and Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, respectively.

“Delegates acknowledged that insecurity had reached unprecedented level under the present administration, aggravating poverty, hunger, destitution and near collapse of education at the primary and secondary levels.

“Delegates agreed that the three major drivers of any society are fear, emotions and knowledge and resolved that the North must not allow itself to be driven by fear nor emotions but by knowledge.

“Delegates resolved that the north must proceed with a united front in political choice going forward to ensure the regions gets its maximum return in national political participation.”

Accordingly, the communique urged that the political platform on which the interest of region would be pursued should be unveiled urgently.

It stated, “That the region and, indeed, the nation need selfless leaders both in the management of political parties as well as public sector governance.

“Decried the impunity of elected leaders who run away with the peoples mandate by purporting to make decisions for their constituents without consultation, citing the recent developments in which elected governors and legislators are usurping the power of the people by endorsing other persons and themselves for re-election to political offices without reference to their constituents, advising that constituents should sanction such elected officials to serve as deterrent.

“Agreed on the need to escalate the group’s initiative to all the 19 states and FCT though the provision of the appropriate template.

“Resolved that the region must prioritise and promote industrialisation and high productivity in all sectors in order to exit the present economic quagmire.

“That in working towards a united north, the issue of equity, fairness and justice, both within and between states, must be addressed comprehensively.

‘’That, going forward, the north must premise its support for candidates at elections on enforceable agreement for the purpose of ensuring and protecting the informed interests of the region, irrespective of where the candidates come from.”

The meeting finally resolved to setup committees to facilitate implementation of its decisions and resolutions.