***Calls for accountability, unity, and a departure from episodic governance
Former Social Democratic Party (SDP) presidential candidate, Prince Adewole Adebayo, has appealed to Northern leaders to harness their moral authority and institutional influence to steer Nigeria toward unity and purposeful governance.
Speaking at a courtesy visit to the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) headquarters in Abuja, where he was received by the Chairman of the Forum’s Board of Trustees, Alhaji Bashir Muhammed Dalhatu, and other senior members, Adebayo framed his remarks as both reflective and reformist.
He warned that Nigeria risks further fragmentation if non-partisan voices such as the ACF fail to initiate constructive national dialogue. “Northern Nigeria is not for foreigners alone; it is the crown jewel of the Nigerian state,” Adebayo said. “The journey to nationhood started in 1914. There is no reverse gear in the vehicle of Nigeria.”
Outlining a vision for national renewal, Adebayo identified three pillars: redefining the North’s role in Nigeria’s destiny, replacing episodic politics with sustained developmental governance, and empowering a new generation of accountable leaders.
The former presidential candidate lamented what he described as “episodic governance,” contrasting it with Nigeria’s early years of coordinated development planning. He cited the first National Development Plan (1960–1965) as a model of continuity, noting that projects spanning multiple administrations—such as Ajaokuta Steel and key dams in the North—remain incomplete, while politics dominates the national agenda.
“Today, we’ve abandoned such discipline,” he said. “Even the most basic consensus, like the sanctity of human life, is no longer guaranteed.”
Turning to the issue of national unity, Adebayo praised the ACF and other socio-cultural organizations—including Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Afenifere, and PANDEF—as “soft institutions” that serve as the nation’s moral reserve. “If the statutory institutions fail, as they often do, there must be a fallback. That fallback is you,” he told the northern elders.
He also highlighted the dangers of religious polarization, cautioning against its use as a tool for division. “In the past, you couldn’t declare yourself a Christian leader or a Muslim leader in the North; people would laugh. Today, religion shapes appointments and responses to tragedy. That is not the Nigeria we inherited,” he said.
Adebayo called for a generational handshake between elders and youth, urging shared responsibility for the nation’s future. “We didn’t attend Lancaster House in 1960 or the 1977 Constitutional Conference, but we love this country too. The politics we pursue will leave no one behind—it will be based on accountability, not origin. We aim for a government that is incorruptible, delivers services, and ensures ministers are truly accountable.”
In response, Alhaji Bashir Dalhatu welcomed Adebayo’s vision, reaffirming the ACF’s readiness to engage constructively with leaders and reformers committed to preserving Nigeria’s unity.