Northern leaders under the aegis of Northern Bridge Builders’ Forum have called on the federal government and governors of the 19 northern states to step up efforts in addressing the security challenges bedeviling the region.

The forum comprising leaders from across states in the North among them, Dame Pauline Tallen, Senators Joel Danlami Ikenya, Danjuma Lar, Binta Masi Garba, Jacob Tilley-Gyado and Grace Bent, among several others, made the call at a press conference in Abuja.

The leaders particularly called the attention of the president to the recent violent killings and destructions of properties in northern states of Borno, Benue, Plateau, Zamfara, Katsina, Sokoto, Niger, Kaduna, Kwara, Nasarawa, Adamawa, Yobe, Taraba and Yobe.

The forum also used the occasion to endorse President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for a second term in office in 2027.

Convener of the group Senator Ikenya while addressing journalists, said the endorsement was an expression of the forum’s support for the policies, programmes and reforms of the president, which he said have positively impacted the North and Nigeria in general.

He said endorsement of the president for a second term was to enable him continue the good works he is doing for the country.

The forum urged the president to consolidate and continue to improve the gains recorded in the area of security, particularly in the northern states where violent activities are more intense.

The northern leaders urged the National Assembly to expedite the passage into law, the bill sent to it by the president for the establishment of Armed Forests Guards in Nigeria as part of efforts aimed at addressing the security challenges in the country.

The forum called on the president to put in place economic measures that will provide succour to citizens of the North and Nigeria as a whole.

The northern leaders further called on people of northern Nigeria and Nigerians in general to be supportive of the administration of President Tinubu and be wary of the activities of certain forces bent on disrupting the vision of the president for selfish reasons.

Gyado, while dismissing the possibility of the Atiku-led coalition in upstaging the president, expressed optimism that Tinubu will win. He said “Come 2027, before 10 o’clock in the morning, this job would have been done. We are experienced in this job.”

In his contribution, Senator Danjuma Lar said the forum is supporting the president because, “He has made us proud. It will be a sealed deal come 2027.”

Tallen while expressing her support for the president emphasised the need for all Nigerians to pray for the president and other leaders to succeed. 

“As we endorse him, we are praying to God to help him to do better for the country,” she said.

On her part, Senator Masi Garba said that the president needs the cooperation of Nigerians to get things working again, adding, “What we are looking for is stability.”