Northern Elders Forum (NEF) on Wednesday, urged southern governors to exercise caution in their decisions and utterances.

NEF spokesman, Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, stated this against the background of the 12-point decisions reached by the governors after a meeting in Asaba.

Baba-Ahmed, who noted that the country was facing trying times, reiterated its call for the rights of Northernern communities in the South not to be abridged in any form.

“The meeting and its resolutions are clearly major developments in the context of our current circumstances as a nation.

“Our Forum prefers to study developments of this nature with the responsibility they deserve and make its positions known.

“What we must say at this stage is that all leaders must exercise great caution in terms of their decisions and utterances.

“It is tempting to pander to galleries, but leaders set the pace and direction. They do not follow.

“We should also renew our appeal that members Northern communities living in the South, including Fulani, should not have their lawful rights abridged.

“These are very trying times. We hope the President will read the import of the decisions of this meeting very carefully and respond appropriately,” he said in a chat with our correspondent.

Vanguard