Indications emerged during the week to suggest that the cozy relationship that exists between President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his French counterpart, Mr Emmanuel Macron, is causing some disquiet in the North.
Saturday Telegraph gathered during the week in separate interviews with prominent leaders in the North that they are not finding the relationship funny and that they are observing the trend.
Those who spoke with our correspondent on the development include, a chieftain of the opposition New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Engr. Buba Galadima; a chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr Garus Gololo.
Others who spoke include a former Presidential Adviser on Political Matters, Alhaji Tanko Yakassai.
A former Executive Secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), Professor Usman Yusuf’s views were monitored in a televised interview during the week.
Except for Yakassai, who pleaded that President Tinubu be allowed to govern, those who spoke were unanimous in their respective assertions that the relationship will spell doom for the North in the wake of the frosty relations that exists between France and some of its former colonies in West Africa.
Countries such as Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger Republic have in recent times reviewed their ties with their erstwhile colonial master with many of them putting in place several measures to wean themselves off control by France, which in turn is doing all it can to retain its control in the sub-region.
In many of the meetings of the regional bloc, Nigeria had initially threatened to use force to restore democratic order in Niger and Burkina Faso in the wake of the coup d’état in the two countries.
President Tinubu is the chairman of the regional economic bloc, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
While a military junta seized power in Niger on July 26, 2023, their counterparts in Burkina Faso struck earlier on September 30, 2022.
However, the decision by ECOWAS led by Nigeria to restore democracy in Niger Republic was vehemently rejected by stakeholders in the Northern part of the country who have continued to argue that such decision is a declaration of war on them considering that they occupy the frontline position should hostilities break out.
Those who opposed this move also stated that the kinship between the people of the North and their cousins in Niger Republic is a source of worry to them too.
The reservations of these elements in the North once again came to the fore with the recent visit of a Federal Government delegation, led by President Tinubu to France where he was hosted by his counterpart, President Macron, to a lavish reception in Paris, the French capital.
Commenting on the development as it affects the North, Galadima in an interview with our correspondent during the week urged President Tinubu whom he described as a ‘friend’ to be careful, saying the North is watching his moves.
He said: “I will advise the President to be extremely careful in his dealings with France. I am saying this because France is drawing him close because they want to use him to change the governments in Niger Republic, Mali and Burkina Faso.
“He will have problems on his hands because people from the (Northern) part of the country will not support him in his journey.
“We can’t support President Tinubu because of what these countries did for us during the Civil War.
“He has to be careful in his relationship with France. All of us in the North are looking at him (President Tinubu) with some suspicion.
“At least, as a friend, I can tell him this.”
Similarly, Gololo said though he is a member of the APC, who worked for the enthronement of the current regime last year, recent developments have however prompted him to review his position going by some actions of the president as well as his disposition to the North so far.
“Why is the North so much treated this way? Is this the way to practice democracy? I am insisting that no French soldier, not to talk of forces, will be allowed to be stationed in the North.
“We will never accept it. I am a retired soldier and I can tell you that I am willing to pick up the gun again to defend the North,” he said.
Gololo, who accused the French authorities of duplicity in the fight against insurgency in the West African region, however stated that the scourge abated when the government of Niger and Burkina Faso expelled French troops from their respective countries.
While accusing the Federal Government of signing a treaty with the French government for the establishment of a base in the North, he however stated that “Nobody can carry foreign troops to land in our land.”
Professor Yusuf in a clip monitored by our correspondent said: “Danger is coming; Mr President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s romance with France is no good news for Nigeria.
“President Tinubu, you were elected by us, we are asking that you’re not going to commit us to any foreign military presence in the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“Whatever investment or commitment that you’ve made must be vetted by the National Assembly but I dare say that your romance with the French is not good for us.
“You have to tell us the reason why the French are cozying up to Nigeria,” he said, adding that the region will resist any attempt to establish a base in the North.
When contacted, Yakassai, who feigned ignorance of the development said: “The president is elected by the Nigerian people, please allow him to govern the country.” (New Telegraph)
