Vice President Kashim Shettima has called on the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) to rally behind President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, saying now is the time for northern leaders to stand united and back efforts to rebuild the country’s economy and social stability.
Speaking at the Presidential Villa in Abuja during a meeting with the ACF delegation led by Alhaji Bashir Dalhatu, Shettima urged northern elders to resist attempts by “mischief makers” to divide Nigeria along ethnic or religious lines. He said genuine grievances must be separated from greed-driven agendas that seek to exploit instability for personal gain.
“Our diversity is our strength,” Shettima said. “We must continue to resist all attempts to divide us. Unity must remain our creed.”
The Vice President also rejected claims of bias or exclusion under the current government, insisting that every group and faith has a voice in national matters. “No community will be left behind,” he said. “Our goal is to create opportunities for all through inclusion, education, and enterprise.”
Shettima highlighted several areas of focus for the administration in the North, including education, agriculture, industry, and security. He said reforms like the Nigeria Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) will help northern students access tertiary education, while vocational and technical centres will prepare young people for jobs in farming, manufacturing, and technology.
On agriculture, he explained that the government is promoting large-scale farming and agro-industrial ventures across Kano, Kaduna, and Sokoto to create jobs and strengthen the food value chain. He also noted that coordinated military operations have restored stability in parts of the North previously overrun by bandits.
Alhaji Bashir Dalhatu, who led the ACF delegation, praised the Tinubu administration for its economic reforms and expressed the group’s readiness to work with the government. He said the forum’s upcoming 25th anniversary would focus on strengthening unity and development in the region, including the launch of an endowment fund for socio-economic growth.
Other members of the delegation included Mamman Mike Osuman, Nasiru Danu, Mahmud Yayale Ahmed, former IGP M.D. Abubakar, and Lt. Gen. Abdurahman Bello Danbazau (rtd).
Photo caption suggestion: Vice President Kashim Shettima meeting with the Arewa Consultative Forum delegation at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
