TY Danjuma-Led ‘Middle Belt’ Group’s Visit, Tinubu Re-election Endorsement Reflect Christian Agenda, ACF Warns

*Forum cautions against plot to divide North along religious lines

By KEMI KASUMU

Critics had questioned why the delegation did not appear to reflect all the states and religious interests within the Middle Belt, particularly as all its members were Christians.

The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has expressed concern over the composition of a delegation of Middle Belt leaders who recently visited President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, warning that the gathering could deepen religious divisions ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The ACF said the delegation, led by former Minister of Defence, General Theophilus Yakubu Danjuma, appeared to reflect predominantly Christian interests, despite the ethnic and religious diversity of the Middle Belt region.

The forum’s spokesman, Prof. Tukur Baba, said that although the organisers had the constitutional right to associate and advocate their interests, the delegation ought to have been broader in composition, particularly given the political implications of the visit.

“Now, if we check the composition, it looks like these are people who are already politicians in one way or another, and represent certain interests in one way or another,” Baba said.

He acknowledged that the Middle Belt, also referred to as the North-Central region, is ethnically and religiously diverse, adding that the composition of the delegation raised questions that could not be ignored.

“But there is something that cannot be missed, no matter how much one wants to be optimistic about the composition of the country, of the group, that is to say, it leans towards people of its persuasion, and if I may say, Christian persuasion, which itself is not bad, you know, because it is a fundamental human right,” he said.

Baba, however, warned that the implications of such a gathering for Nigeria’s political environment should be carefully considered.

“But one is worried about the implications for the Nigerian political economy as a whole. Is this a manifestation of a religious divide, and is it being promoted, advanced, and used to compound already issues,” he queried.

He noted that the issues raised by the delegation, including economic development, education, security, agriculture and infrastructure, were matters of common concern to Nigerians irrespective of their religious or ethnic backgrounds.

“The performance of the economy transcends religious and other primordial sentiments,” he said, expressing the hope that future engagements would reflect common national interests rather than sectional considerations.

Baba also identified the absence of consensus among Nigeria’s political elite as one of the country’s major challenges.

“And you’ll find that there are divergent interests among the elites. So I will not be worried. I will not be too worried. I will be concerned,” he added.

He explained that the tendency of the Tinubu administration to meet different groups separately might have informed the nature of the engagement.

The ACF’s reaction followed concerns over the composition of the Middle Belt delegation that met with Tinubu in Abuja on Friday.

Critics had questioned why the delegation did not appear to reflect all the states and religious interests within the Middle Belt, particularly as all its members were Christians.

Some analysts also pointed to the absence of prominent Middle Belt politicians, including former and serving governors, National Assembly members, retired senior civil servants and other public officials, raising questions about whether some individuals were excluded on religious grounds.

According to informed sources, the meeting focused largely on the region’s political alignment ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The delegation, led by General Danjuma, included Plateau State Governor Caleb Mutfwang; Taraba State Governor Agbu Kefas; former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara; former Chief of Army Staff, General Ishaya Bamaiyi; Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa; businessman Thomas Etuh; and President of the Middle Belt Forum, Dr Poju Bitrus.

Several members of the delegation have openly expressed support for Tinubu’s re-election in 2027, a position believed to have informed the engagement with the President.

Danjuma also reportedly urged Nigerians to re-elect Tinubu, arguing that a second term would enable the President to consolidate on projects and programmes initiated by his administration.

He made the call on Saturday at the 20th anniversary and fundraising ceremony of the Adamawa State Government House Chapel in Yola.

Represented by former Chief of Army Staff, General Ishaya Bamaiyi, Danjuma reportedly argued that Tinubu’s first term would not be sufficient to complete programmes and projects he considered beneficial to Nigerians.

He also cited the appointment of several Christians into government positions as evidence of the President’s fairness and religious tolerance, urging Nigerians, particularly those in the Middle Belt, to vote massively for Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election.