By Henry Umoru

PRO-democracy groups from the 19 Northern States and the Federal Capital Territory, FCT have said that the region is solidly behind the administration of President Bola Tinubu, just as they condemned in very strong terms, sponsored protests in some states in the region against the present administration.

According to the groups, Nigerians should show patriotism by cooperating with this administration in its bid to finding solutions to the country’s problems such as inflation, corruption, insecurity-banditry and kidnapping that the country is currently facing.

Addressing Journalists on Wednesday in Abuja, the amalgamation of pro-democracy groups from the 19 northern states, under the aegis of the Arewa Initiative for the Defence and Promotion of Democracy (AIDPD), have warned those  they described as disgruntled politicians and other unpatriotic elements who have perfected plans to mobilise boguss and society organisations (CSOs) to stage shantom protests across the country to smear the image of this administration should stop evil machinations.

The Chairman of AIDPD,  Professor Shehu Abdullahi Ma’aji who addressed Journalists on behalf of the Pro- Democracy Groups, urged Nigerians to be patient and cooperate with the president as he was working assiduously to clear inherited challenges, adding that those disgruntled politicians who are using some clerics through misinformation to issue statements condemning this administration without any good reason should desist forthwith in the interest of our beloved nation.

The Chairman said that  the current administration of President Tinubu inherited a lot of problems from the past administration of Muhammadu Buhari which it is currently trying to address, even as he stressed that the Kwara State Governor Abdul Rahman AbdulRazaq and chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) had just revealed that the crude oil the country will be getting in the next six months had been sold in advance by the immediate past administration.

Professor Abdullahi Ma’aji said, “Arising from our emergency meeting held at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja, to review the State of the Nation, we members of pro-democracy groups from the 19 Northern States and the FCT make the following observations and resolutions:

“To commend patriotic Northerners and indeed all Nigerians who are cooperating and supporting this government in its bid to provide solutions to the nation’s problems despite the incitement by some unscrupulous politicians who are bent on inciting the masses against the government.

“That the world economy is currently not in the best of shape due to the Russian- Ukrainian and the Israeli-Palestinian wars, etc. We observed that the Nigerian economy is not exempted from this global economic problem.

” That the current administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu inherited a lot of problems from the past administration of Muhammadu Buhari which it is currently trying to address. For instance, the Kwara State Governor Abdul Rahman AbdulRazaq and chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) had just revealed that the crude oil the country will be getting in the next six months had been sold in advance by the immediate past administration.

“That the solutions to the problems cannot be instantly solved but in a gradual pattern. That Nigerians should show patriotism by cooperating with this administration in its bid to finding solutions to the country’s problems such as inflation, corruption, insecurity-banditry and kidnapping that the country is currently facing.

” That those disgruntled politicians and other unpatriotic elements who have perfected plans to mobilise boguss and society organisations (CSOs) to stage shantom protests across the country til smear the image of this administration should stop evil machinations.

” That those disgruntled politicians who are using some clerics through misinformation to issue statements condemning this administration without any good reason should desist forthwith in the interest of our beloved nation.

“We are not averse to any form of legitimate protest to show grievances to the government’s policy or programme, provided it is done in good faith and under the laws of our beloved country, Nigeria. We frown at the idea of sponsoring people to stage fake protests for the financiers to score cheap political mileage by discrediting the current administration.

“We call on all Northerners and indeed all Nigerians to continue to support the current administration in its bid to bring prosperity to our nation.

“That we Northerners are not against Mr President and this administration. We will continue to support and pray for this administration to succeed.

“That the current administration is just eight months into office. It time to deal with the needs more are praying and collaborating with the current administration for it to succeed in positively turning around the fortunes of the country.”