Convener, Northern Stakeholders Consultative Initiatives (NSCI), Alhaji Yerima Shettima, has said that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has just spent three years in office and so shouldn’t be expected to miraculously fix a system that was bastardised for eight years. He stressed that the president is getting it right even though the process may take some time.
In an interview with VINCENT KALU, the former leader of the Arewa youths told Saturday Sun that the north will give Tinubu all the support to finish his second term, and thereafter, the mantle of leadership moves to the region.
What is your view on the state of the nation?
Generally, expectations are high by Nigerians. We should also mindful of the fact that we are just gradually coming out of the terrible situation we found ourselves in under the last administration, and you shouldn’t expect an immediate miracle. It will take processes, and will work with time.
Under President Bola Tinubu, we are beginning to see clearly defined directions, even when we are not getting it immediately, but we are hopeful it will be fine in the nearest future.
Is it not the same party? Tinubu said that he would continue from where his predecessor, Buhari, stopped.
Yes, it is the same party, but different pilots. Both of them are two different personalities, whether you like it or not. Tinubu is a pure democrat, while Buhari had a military background; Tinubu is more sociable than Buhari. They are two different personalities even though they might have the same platform. Tinubu is gradually showing the way in recent times. Things are beginning to heal, even though there is an issue of inflation – at some point, it gets down, and it jumps up, and we believe it would get down finally with time.
This is just three years of this administration, and so, we shouldn’t expect a system that has been bastardised for eight years to suddenly become normal; it will take time, and we believe the president is getting it right. Our economy to an extent is beginning to show hope. We are beginning to see our exchange rate stabilised. We are beginning to see massive infrastructural development.
Even though there are security challenges here and there, but don’t forget that he also inherited them. However, things are gradually taking shape, as most of the terrorist commanders, and bandits are being gunned down by the day. By God’s grace, we will get it right.
What are your expectations of the 2027 elections?
We expect that Nigerians should troop out and support the APC government, though individuals differ and have their reservations. For those who feel there are alternatives to Tinubu, we should go back to their antecedents. What did they do when they had the opportunity? None of them is new to us. We all know them. We were all here when they had opportunity. What have they done differently from what we are experiencing today?
To an extent, we are beginning to feel that if Tinubu is given another opportunity, he will do better, especially in the northern part of this country. We are looking forward to see that. We will give him all the support to finish his last tenure, and at the end of the day, we take over the mantle of leadership and see how we can also complement his efforts by doing something to improve the lives of Nigerians.
The north claimed to have made Tinubu the president because the region gave him the highest number of votes, but they accused him of not being fair to the region. What is your take on this?
It is a process. Rome was not built in a day. Our own son, Buhari, for eight years he was in the saddle couldn’t do anything tangible in the region, but Tinubu has shown us the way. Tinubu has already commenced roads and other projects in the region. Look at the progress our economy is making, though a bit bad, but at least, we are gradually seeing the light.
Look at the clearly defined programmes that he is putting up, even though they may not bear fruits immediately, but we are beginning to see a roadmap, unlike the previous administration.
I am from the north, and I know exactly what we are talking about. Sometimes, some of the stories in the papers or online, which you assume to be true are sponsored by perceived or desperate politicians.
Whether we like it or not, Tinubu has tried, and he is still trying. He has a good team. He has a team that we can name at least 10 people who have good heads, unlike the Buhari administration that you could hardly name two people that were good.
So, it is a team work. All he needs from us now is support and encouragement.
For us in the north, yes, we played the major role for his success, and expectations are high, but let us also be patient so that we don’t throw the baby out with the bath water. Tinubu is trying for us.
Those who saw your posters for senatorial seat election in Kaduna State, said your activism as the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) youth leader was just for personal ambition of becoming a politician. What do you say to that?
In life, time and events change a lot of things. I cannot remain president of Arewa this and Arewa that, as you earlier mentioned. My life will not stand there and continue there and die there. I have a life of my own. And I also feel that by being in government, I will do better than what I’m doing outside government. It is one thing to be outside government and criticise government, and another thing when you are in government, and you can also do better than being outside.
I have paid my dues in the struggle. This is an assertion that you cannot take away from people’s opinions. But my life will not continue as Arewa youth leader; and will I remain Arewa youth leader forever? I’ve grown, and I’m here to move on with my life. Other people coming after me; those I mentored will take over the mantle of leadership, and do exactly what we taught them.
A time will also come when they will retire from activism and go to mainstream politics. This is just the beauty of life.
They also cited the way you were attacking the Buhari government in order for him to give you attention, he didn’t, but you gained national prominence from that?
It wasn’t about attacking Buhari, but have I changed from who I was? I’ve just mentioned that the last administration didn’t do enough for the north. You also know, you can attest to it. I’m a brand. It’s not a story. And you can’t take it away from me that I’ve paid my dues in the struggle.
I stood with my people and I spoke. But that doesn’t in any way mean that if one is wrong or one has done wrong that I would not speak out because you come from my place; I will speak, I stand for justice. I stand for equity. I stand for fairness. And this is what I will be remembered for.
So, it’s not about looking for prominence. I’ve gotten prominence in the last 20 years of my life. So, it’s not about that. But people differ. People have opinions, and you can’t stop them from saying what they are saying.
If it were in those days, you would be shouting over the spate of killings in the north within this period of three years, which has surpassed any other time. Terrorists have also killed many military officers and personnel, but you have been keeping quiet. Why?
It’s not only in the north that killings are taking place. The killings are also in the South-Wast and other places. The truth of the matter is that there is no place in this world that is peaceful today; it is global problems. At the same time, if you talk about kidnappings, killings and terrorism, it’s all over the country now.
We need to do the needful by supporting government to do their own part. I cannot be barking outside the system. I feel strongly that if I come into the system, something different might happen. I can’t just be barking like a dog outside the system. That’s just the truth.
When you are driving a car, it’s different from when you are a passenger. There are two different things. So, for me, I have paid my dues.
Whichever way you or any other person looks at it, it’s a personal problem, but my life will not start by barking and end by barking. There comes a time that you’ve grown, and what you see might be different from what your perceptions are in the past. I’m not saying we have gotten it right; I’m only saying that it is better to come into the mainstream and make contributions and effect changes than to stay outside and be talking, talking and talking. I’ve talked enough. Do you want me to continue talking or to find me in the system?
When God makes it and I’m in the system, then you’ll see a different me again.
At the same time, we’ll make sure we work to strengthen the system; strengthen the institutions and make it right so that we can encourage other people to participate politically. If I end my life barking, barking and barking, you would be one of those that would say, ‘why don’t you join the politics, and get into the system and make those changes instead of talking, talking and talking?’ You’ll be one of those saying it. So, what is wrong today?
Analysts say Tinubu has borrowed and borrowed Nigeria into a hole, and people are not seeing what the monies were used for. What is your view on these borrowings?
Is there any country in the world that is not borrowing? Even the developed nations borrow. America borrows from China. No government survives without borrowing. No way. That’s the clear truth. Now, whether this money is used judiciously or not is another matter.
But to this point, we have seen giant projects going on. We have seen a network of roads moving from Lagos to Calabar. We have seen the Sokoto-Lagos Road ongoing. In the last eight years, Buhari couldn’t do the Abuja-Kaduna Road, but works are ongoing there. Whether you like it or not, things are happening. Yes, I’m not saying we are getting it perfectly okay, but I’m saying that at least we can feel some impacts going on.
We can see that servicing the debt the previous government incurred is a challenge on its own, and we need money to also move on. We cannot fold our hands because there’s no money on ground; then the government will just be stuck without working, without doing anything. Government is a continuum. Things must continue. And this government has been doing well. That’s the truth.
Are you not afraid that the opposition parties may present a threat to Tinubu’s re-election?
There’s no threat. Who is a threat among them? Which of them have we not seen at some point of being a leader in this country? What did they do when they had the opportunity? There’s no threat.
I sleep with my two eyes closed. In fact, they are even making more mockery of themselves before Nigerians because Nigerians are not fools. They cannot continue to change names, and their characters remain the same; and you think we are fools to go along with them?
No way. Nigerians are wiser. This is 21st century. People are very exposed, very enlightened, and politically aware. Much consciousness is moving around through social media; people are getting it directly.
So, nobody is going to fool anybody again. Tell me which of them has never had the opportunity, and tell me one major thing that any of them has done that people have not done better? Show me one. Call name and show me one. The opposition cannot present any threat. I sleep with my two eyes closed because I have not seen any threat.
When Prof Joash Amupitan was appointed the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the Supreme Council of Islamic Affairs (SCIA), wanted him sacked because of his earlier stand on Christian genocide. They released statement to that effect and are still insisting on that. What’s your view on that?
I don’t hold any brief for Amupitan. I don’t also hold brief for any Islamic group because I don’t hold brief for any religious organisation. Maybe, you throw that question to them. I don’t hold brief for any of the parties at all.
Opposition parties also accused the INEC boss of having sympathy for the APC, following what was written on one of his social media handles. What do you say to that?
I’m not privy to that information because I’ve not seen it yet. Before I would react to what I didn’t know. But I can remember when he said that his X handle was cloned; and that it wasn’t his handle.
So, in that case, if somebody said, ‘I did not’, you cannot say he did it until you take him to a competent court where he can defend himself properly if need be. I can’t talk on what I didn’t know.
Are you not afraid that there may be backlashes following the APC primaries? There are complaints and protests here and there.
That is why in the APC wisdom, they formed an appeal committee. If somebody has any grievances, he can forward such to that committee. It’s strictly a party matter. Go to the appeal committee and make your case. If at the end of the day, they found something to be wrong, I’m sure, and I believe strongly that APC will definitely take measures and correct it in the best interest of the country.
President Tinubu during his electioneering told Nigerians that: ‘If I don’t provide 24 hours electricity to you, when I come for re-election, don’t vote for me.’ How do you react to that against the poor electricity supply in this country?
Work is in progress. So far, I don’t know which area complains more. And I don’t think it’s going to be that easy for us to have 24 hours uninterrupted light every day. More progress has been made when it comes to power.
Honestly, I can tell you that where I live in Kaduna, sometimes, I stay one month, without blackout in my house. And others can also attest to that. They have made it Band A, Band B, Band C and whatever. But there are also some areas where sometimes one or two days, they may experience problems of blackout. But to a very large extent, they have been an improvement in power supplies. I’m telling you the truth.
Maybe it’s specifically in your own area that you have uninterrupted power supply?
I’m honest with you. In fact, I’m always surprised when the light goes off, and latest, it is back in an hour’s time. I feel as if something strange has happened, unlike the situation before that when you had light for two hours in a day, you say to God be the glory.
In my area, any day I have electricity for two hours, people will be celebrating…
Which area is that? You know there are some areas where witches don’t allow electricity to work. Please, change location.
Those on Band A always get electricity because the bills are high, but you can get the service. And that’s all Nigerians want. I believe they are still improving. They will do well. The answer is that there is room for improvement.
So, we shouldn’t take President Tinubu by that word?
We shouldn’t. He is working. Work is ongoing. We can only challenge him after his second term if we didn’t see any improvement. But work is ongoing.
The Médecins San Frontiers (MSF), also known as Doctors Without Borders, in its report released on May 12, 2026, stated that Nigeria tops 77 countries in malnutrition cases. What do you say to this?
We are faced with a challenge of insecurity as it stands today. Most of the farmers are afraid of terrorists and so cannot go to farms, and so cannot produce foods as we were normally doing it in the past. With that challenge of insecurity, things are not flowing as supposed.
In the Northwest, we produce a lot of foods, but as it stands today, because of the fear of bandits and other terrorist groups, people don’t go to farm as they are supposed to. Almost everywhere, we are witnessing this issue of lack of food production.
I strongly believe that if the security situation improves very well, we will get it right.
To address the malnutrition means more food produce coming out so that people can at least feed properly.
You said APC will go to sleep because they don’t see any opposition. If that was the case, why was the party afraid to make the transmission of election results real time in the amended electoral act, when Nigerians were harping on it?
This administration comes with people that are very enlightened and exposed, and we are very realistic about things. We will not go into election with what we are not too sure will favour our system, not only our system, but our environment.
Don’t forget, you can’t find network in some areas in Nigeria as it stands today. We had this issue. Even in the rural areas, most of them don’t get 100 per cent network. And the law clearly spelt it out that, where transmission in real time doesn’t work, you can go ahead and do the other one.
Until the law is amended to say it has to be 100 per cent transmission in real time, that’s when we can talk about all of this. So, we are getting there. We are making progress.
In the past, how many Nigerians have access to phones? But eventually, today, almost all Nigerians in their villages can communicate. When it comes to the issue of network, when I was going to visit one of my constituencies in Birni Gwari, Kaduna State, the moment I left Kaduna airport to Birni Gwari, my network went off. I was there for almost seven hours, no network at all within that axis. From Kaduna to Birin Gwari is between 130 and 140 kilometres, but I could not access any network, not even internet because of the issue of insecurity.
I spent over eight hours without communicating with anybody. My phone became useless. We have so many pockets of those problems in the north; I’m not even talking about the south. How can you conduct free and fair elections given this situation? How can you manage it? Apart from that, do we short-change the people in those areas? Do we say that elections shouldn’t be conducted there or we transport all the villagers to Kaduna to conduct elections and then take them back? Who takes that responsibility? Let us be realistic.
It is just in one of the local governments among the seven in the constituency that I was to represent that I experienced this network problem. I went there to canvass for support.
I spent eight hours, nobody reached me. In fact, my family members were panicking; thinking that something has happened. That’s how bad it is.
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