2023: We’re not reserving presidency for any region — Northern elders

The Northern Elders Forum, NEF, has stated that the northern part of the country is not reserving the presidency for other regions in the February 25 presidential election.

The group’s convener, Professor Ango Abdullahi, who noted this on Wednesday at the occasion of the Northern Elders General Assembly in Abuja, claimed that the North still has an outstanding of four years to rule in order to equate the southern part of Nigeria.

“The North has paid its dues, if there is any part of this country that has made sacrifices for the unity of this nation, there is no other section of the country that has contributed as much as Northern Nigeria.

“The issue shouldn’t have been that we are not qualified or have no right to contest, and certainly, this is why we are saying now that the issue in Nigeria political space must be based only on democratic tenets.”

Speaking further, he said: “the constitution is very clear that I can contest 20 times and also lose 20 times, but nothing should stop me from contesting elections, but in terms of ‘do me I do you’, rub my back and I rub yours, the North has rubbed more backs than its being rubbed.

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“Obasanjo couldn’t get 10,000 votes in front of his house, I told the newsmen that always spoke to him rudely that he will become Nigeria president with the Northern votes and he did, we got paid back somehow, it was not appreciated as such. The North voted Abiola to defeat Tofa, in my sitting room. All these are sacrifices being made by northerners.

“Talking about the years in power since 1999 till date, Obasanjo ruled for 8 years, Jonathan ruled for 6 years which is 14 years, Ya’ardua did just 2 years while Buhari is doing 8 which is 10 years,” he said.

Also in his welcome address, the Labour Party, LP, Vice Presidential Candidate, Yusuf Datti Ahmed, wondered “why should people who stole public funds be given power?”

He said: “where you see the problem, we see the solution, we have already seen it. The bandits, the terrorists, and armed robbers are not more formidable than constituted authorities. Our history and records have shown that we were able to create wealth, we didn’t derive money from the government. And logically speaking, we know how to move Nigeria from consumption to production.”