The former National Vice Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Salihu Lukman, has decried the rising insecurity and poverty affecting northern Nigeria.

Lukman also criticised President Bola Tinubu for allegedly creating disunity and marginalising the North-Central region in key political appointments, adding that all political appointees in the region have been reduced into cheerleader’s position.

In a statement released to the public on Monday, titled, Explosive North: Open Letter to Northern Politicians, the former APC’ chieftain said that political leaders in the country must be cautioned.

He added that things might get out of hand any moment from now especially in the North and if care is not taken, hungry people who are everywhere in the region will start breaking into homes and looting properties of innocent citizens.

The statement reads: “So far, one year has passed into President Asiwaju Tinubu’s administration. No doubt, Northern political leaders are becoming weaker and more disorganised. Even the Vice President, Sen. Kashim Shettima GCON, who is the highest office holder and by virtue of that should have served as the needed rallying point for Northern politicians, is anything but a political leader.

“With every respect, hardly any official of the current administration of President Asiwaju Tinubu from the North, including Sen. Shettima, is willing and able to take the needed risk to defend the interest of the North. Painfully, what is emerging is that most leaders from the North are more concerned about self-preservation in the government.

“Because of self-preservation, already scheming for 2027 has commenced. Within the Presidency, there are indicative cold war dynamics and positioning, which is alleged to be responsible for the praise-singing disposition of Vice President Shettima.

“The National Security Adviser (NSA), Mal. Nuhu Ribadu has devalued an exalted office almost to the status of a Protocol Office to President Asiwaju Tinubu.”

“Virtually all other Northern politicians holding offices in this government, including the Secretary to Government of the Federation (SGF), Sen. George Akume are absentee public servants who have been reduced to members of a choir group poorly singing ‘on your mandate we stand’ irrespective of the shaky and staggering reality being demonstrated by the mandate holder with reference to poor service delivery and crashing living conditions in the last one year.”