The attention of the Arewa Defence League has been drawn to media reports credited to Vice-President Namadi Sambo disparaging credible and foremost northern leaders on the issue of northern political leadership and the consensus candidate. 

In media reports quoted from the interview, Vice-President Sambo granted the British Broadcasting Corporation; he also claimed and asserted that he is the leader of the northern region today. 

According to Sambo, “As for those coming out saying they are the leaders of the north, this is in fact a big surprise to us. But you know we don’t talk too much. Today, Allah the Almighty has told us in our capacity as Muslims and Christians, that He gives leadership to whosoever He likes and at whatever period He wants, Almighty Allah also retrieves power.”

"Today, there is no doubt and everybody knows, the Almighty Allah has already bestowed the leadership of the North on me Architect Namadi Sambo. He has made me the leader of the North politically," he said. 

In the light of these unwarranted attacks and insults on our leaders, we wish to condemn in clear terms the outburst of the Vice-President and restate that Namadi Sambo despite his occupation of the number two office in Nigeria is not the leader of northern Nigeria.

His self acclaim to throne of northern leadership is nothing but an excise in political masturbation and influence peddling. It makes meaning only as flight of fancy.

He should not confuse his narrow political ambition to pick any crumbs from the table with the larger interest of his people. The fact that he is an enemy of zoning despite having benefited from zoning by virtue of the office he boasts of today. His public statements on power rotation are in conflict with the larger thinking of his people.  

It is therefore curious for Namadi Sambo to usurp the position of northern  political leadership at a time he is going in tangential direction with the  interest of the people he purports to represent.

Signed:

Murtala Abubakar.

Director of Organisation,

Arewa Defence League.