HURIWA faults attack of Matawalle’s remarks on Northern elders

Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has backed the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle,” for his patriotism” amid a wave of criticisms following his recent remarks concerning the Northern Elders Forum (NEF) and the administration of President Bola Tinubu.

Addressing newsmen, yesterday, the civil rights advocacy group expressed concern that Matawalle’s comments sparked controversy after he advocated steadfast support for Tinubu’s administration, particularly from appointees of Northern extraction.

HURIWA highlighted that Matawalle, in his statement, emphasised the imperative of collective solidarity and unwavering loyalty to the government’s initiatives aimed at advancing the nation’s interests.

Matawalle, in a statement on Monday, April 15, emphasised the importance of Tinubu’s appointees from the North taking a stand and showing unequivocal support for the administration.

According to him, every appointee must promote and defend the government against unjust attacks. In reaction to Matawalle’s comments, Sen KabiruMarafa demanded an apology from the minister, urging him to withdraw his statement, which he (Marafa) described as portraying the NEF as a “burden” and “paperweights”.

Marafa argued that Matawalle’s remarks were not reflective of Tinubu’s position, emphasising the President’s high regard for Northerners and their leaders.
HURIWA’s National Coordinator, Emmanuel Onwubiko, at the briefing, deemed Matawalle’s stance as not only justified but also necessary for the continuity of developmental efforts initiated by the present administration.

Onwubiko rejected attempts to misconstrue Matawalle’s remarks as divisive or inappropriate, describing the call for public solidarity with Tinubu’s administration as genuine and essential.

The rights group further hailed Tinubu for appointing individuals from the Northern region into key positions in his government. It emphasisedMatawalle’s advocacy for collective support as a testament to his loyalty to the administration that appointed him.

The group referenced the recent remarks by the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, regarding Tinubu’s deliberate appointment of Northerners into key positions as a commitment to addressing the challenges faced by the North, indicating a genuine concern for the region’s welfare.

It dismissed the attacks against Matawalle as disguised attempts to undermine the achievements of Tinubu’s government and urged Nigerians to focus on the collective progress of the nation.