A lot of pictures with lucid details are beginning to emerge on the Nigerian political platform as the opposition to the government of the day realign and restructure its strategies towards the 2027 general elections. Contrary to the anxiousness displayed by the masses on the unfolding drama, these actions are normal in any democratic setting. It should be noted by those who are anxious that every opportunity of the opposition to self express is a stamp on the legitimacy of the government as a member of the democratic community of the world depending on the handling of the situation. In this regard, the Tinubu administration has fared well in allowing this opposition to fester with little hindrance. However, freedom should always be complemented with responsibility ,lest, there could be chaos and anarchy. At any time that the opposition makes its demand on government it should leave the regional affiliation and sectionalism out of it

Nowadays, it is not rare to find some politicians of Northern Nigeria extractions talking about the position of that region on issues that are generally of national dimensions. In fact, most of these sympathy seeking redeemers colour their position on the slogan “It is not in the Interest of the North “. Adjacent to this is the flexing of muscles and somewhat arrogant display of naked illusion of grandeur premised on the false belief that without the North, no politician can become the President of Nigeria. No Thanks to the lack of cohesion in the other parts of the country including the Middle-Belt. These politicians should peruse the history book to learn from the likes of Malam Aminu Kano of the Talakawa fame and many others too numerous to mention. Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, a man of impeccable character and unassuming disposition who should be taken as a model of the Northern character. Sardauna of Sokoto, Sir Ahmadu Bello with his selflessness, humility and patriotic zeal continues to inspire the younger elements across the country. Alhaji Sheu Usman Shagari was the last of these Titans. May be the North would have fared better as a region if these great men were to be alive.

One very important endowment of the old North, which has won it great respect in the other regions of the country is that its leaders are men who act more than they talk and whenever they speak, the deep bite of their language on national issues are felt to the bone marrow. Wither this fine character in the politics of the north of today?

Today, a lot of politicians in the North roam about the terrain talking even when there is nothing to say. A good example is the brouhaha on the tax reforms introduced by the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and its effect on the North and its people. While many people within and without the boarders of Nigeria would choose to focus on the benefits of the reform to the generality of Nigerians and its economy, the rabble rousers like the Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed who belongs to the Peoples Democratic Party chose to play the role of the spokes person of Northern Nigeria by slamming Aso Rock for what he considered to be an Anti-North policy designed to further pauperize the region. He was reported to be unapologetic and very combative in his opposition to the bill. Although, the position of Governor Bala Mohammed was understandable judging from the fact that he is in the Peoples Democratic Party, which stands in opposition to the policy and programmes of the All Progressives Congress, yet, hiding behind the nomenclature of the North is divisive, unpatriotic and unnecessary. Wearing the badge of an opposition party alone accords him the right of antagonism to the policy of the government in power. It is another issue whether his criticism is valid or false’

It doesn’t require rocket science to understand that the Vice -President, who is the chairman of the National Economic Council of Nigeria is a Northerner and accusing him of joining the government tax advisers to design and evolve an anti North policy is a suggestion too far from common sense. Are the opponents of the tax bill suggesting to us that the tax bill was the direct handwork of the president?

Today, wearing every national issue in ethnic draper is retrogressive, naive and mischievous. What would Malam el-Rufai have been doing at the moment if the National Assembly had confirmed his nomination as a minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria? Would he have been fighting tooth and nail in defence of the policy of President Ahmed Bola Tinubu or cross-carpeting to the Social Democratic Party as he is doing at the moment ?. Therefore, any action taken by him should be regarded as self seeking rather than in the interest of the North.

By the way, are these so-called defenders of the northerners really working in the interest of the North?
While we have many Northerners like Emir Lamido Sanusi, who speak frankly and bluntly against the self imposed pains visited on Northern citizens by its leadership, we have many politicians who exploit the weaknesses of the masses of that region to seek for advantages that are never delivered to the people.

It is on record that 65 per cent of the poor in Nigeria live in Northern Nigeria. In every urban area in Nigeria, you have many northerners who work as “Mai-Guard” and such people are certainly not in the bracket of the middle class by Nigerian standard.

Despite availability of bountiful natural resources, and the enviable industry of the people a lot of northerners are still unable to put their heads above the minimal poverty threshold because the leadership in the north that talks about short-changing the region have been unable to properly harness this endowment for stimulation of growth and development.

The human capital which is abundant in the north remain largely untapped and wasted with several refinable children roaming the streets as Almajiri. It took the intervention of Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, a President from Southern Nigeria to establish the Almajiri schools for these potential future leaders. Yet, in the sixty-five years of Nigeria’s independence, the Northern Region has produced ten of the fifteen Presidents of Nigeria. The Eastern Region has produced two while the Western Region produced three.

In all, the north ruled for forty-seven years, the east for five and a half years and the West for about thirteen years. These forty-seven years has not translated into good life and benefits for the people of that region. Despite the forty-seven years of being in charge of Nigeria, almost all the poor states in Nigeria are in the North. Looking at the 2019 poverty headcount rate, Sokoto State has 87.73%, Taraba 87.72%, Jigawa 87.02%, Ebonyi 79.76%, Adamawa 75.41%, Zamfara 73.98%, Yobe 72.34%, Niger 66.11%, Gombe 62.31%and Bauch 61.53%. Who if one may ask will develop the North for the Northerners if the people of that region continue to invest their votes on their blood suckers?. Thiis is also true of some other parts of Nigeria where people vote on the basis of the “candidate being our son or daughter”. Unfortunately, hunger is blind to ethnic or religious coloration.

Yet, these same leaders who either due to administrative incompetence and lack of management skill continues to talk about Northern Interest. The interest that is not protected at home. There is so much infrastructural deficit to the extent that many of the selfish leaders see the city of Abuja as a birthright that must be protected for the north at all costs. How, if one may ask will a Northern Politician in opposition bring out his chest shamelessly in the presence of a man like Bola Tinubu who has established Regional Development Commission in all zones of the federation in his two years in office? This is a feat that should have been performed long ago, particularly for the North by those who have been Presidents and Heads of States who are from that region for those forty seven years that the North had called the shot in the presidential villa of the nation.

It is time for the Northern politicians to stop beating the torn drums of Northern interest and face the collective interest of our people. While some people believe in“the handshake across the Niger”, some of us hold dear to “ hugging across the Niger” which if far more engaging than the handshake.
• Rasheed Ojikutu is a Retired Professor of Statistics, University of Lagos.