The Presidency lambasted the Northern Elders Forum for its “delusional arrogance” in calling for some parts of the country to secede on Tuesday.
The Presidency reiterated in a statement signed by Garba Shehu, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, that only democratically elected leaders can make decisions that drive the country.
‘Statement on the call by the “northern elders forum” for a sector of the country to quit the federation,’ the statement reads.
“We are aware of the current statement from the so-called ‘Northern Elders Forum,'” it said in part.
We want to reassure Nigerians that the decisions that guide our country are made by its democratically elected leaders–and no one else.
“No self-appointed and unelected body, no matter how much media attention they receive, can take this right away from Nigerians.” Nigerians pay attention to elected leaders, not opinionated tin-gods with no clout among responsible groups.
“It is delusional arrogance that leads such a group to publicly proclaim terms and conditions for our nation’s existence.”
Who gave them the authority to demand that any individual, organization, or portion of the country be expelled from the Federal Republic of Nigeria?” Shehu inquired further.
The Nigerian government, according to the Presidency, does not seek advice or invites from such organizations, but rather from the Nigerian people who elect governments.
While any organization can call itself “leaders,” the government would not recognize it as such “until you have been chosen to a leadership role by Nigerians.”
Nigeria, like many other countries throughout the world, is experiencing the burden of the current period of volatility and uncertainty, according to the statement.
As a result, “this is not the time to try to exacerbate Nigerian divisions.” Rather, we urge all Nigerians to unite and work together to address the issues we confront as a nation and a people.”
