Problems with that ‘Middle Belt’ parley with Tinubu
By Danlami Nagari Sani Two descriptions by separate media outlets of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s reported meeting with some leaders from Northern Nigeria on Thursday, November 5, 2026, have left behind a troubling picture of exclusion, political misrepresentation and an unnecessary attempt to deepen religious divisions in a region already grappling with enormous challenges. One […]
Two separate news accounts described President Bola Tinubu’s reported meeting with leaders from Nigeria’s Middle Belt and North-Central regions on November 5, 2026. Some outlets claimed the President received a delegation at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, while others stated he met with leaders from three geopolitical zones—North-East, North-Central, and North-West.
The reported attendees included Christian leaders from Kaduna, Plateau, Taraba, Kogi, and Borno states, as well as the former Chief of Army Staff, General Ishaya Bamaiyi, who comes from Kebbi in the North-West. Critics argue that the delegation did not accurately represent the Middle Belt or North-Central regions, as it excluded Muslim leaders from important regions like Plateau, Taraba, and Kebbi. The composition appears to have been influenced by religious considerations, with a focus on Christian leaders.
Former Deputy Speakers of the House of Representatives, Ahmed Idris Wase and Babangida Nguroje, and former Deputy Speakers from Taraba, Usman Bayero Nafada, were notably absent from the delegation. This exclusion raises questions about the criteria used to select the participants and whether it is a genuine effort to represent the region or a political tool to draw religious divisions.
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