Saraki, Bala Mohammed Not NEF’s Consensus Candidates – Ango Abdullahi

…As Kwande, Atiku, Tambuwal, others discard reports

The Northern Elders Forum (NEF), has declared that the alleged endorsement of two Presidential candidates of Northern origin namely, former President of the Senate, Abubakar Bukola Saraki and Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State did not in any way reflect the opinions and or views of the members of the revered Forum.

Convener of the Forum, Professor Àngo Abdullahi, stated this through a telephone conversation with African Independent Television (AIT),explained that the endorsement was granted two presidential aspirants in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as consensus in his personal capacity and not on behalf of the Northern Elders Forum (NEF).

Professor Abdullahi particularly said that the report was merely his personal assessment and evaluation of the four Northern aspirants on the platform of PDP who willingly submitted themselves to the consensus exercise they requested former military President, General Ibrahim Babangida (retd.) to conduct and select a consensus candidate for the North.

Abdulahi said that he signed the report in his personal capacity as the Magaji Rafin Zazzau and not as Chairman of the Northern Elders’ Forum, adding however that his report did not foreclose other aspirants of Northern extraction from throwing their hats in the ring to test their popularity.

In the words of Abdullahi; “Those interested in throwing their hats in the ring are at liberty to do so”.

Abdullahi’s report narrowing the choice of Northern aspirants to two candidates namely Saraki representing North Central and Mohammed for the Northeast was seen as a move to deliver telling blows on the aspirations and chances of other aspirants from the North including former Vice-president, Atiku Abubakar, Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal among others.

Speaking on the matter, the Deputy Chairman, North Central Zone of the Northern Elders’ Forum (NEF), Ambassador Yahaya Kwande dissociated himself from the alleged report endorsing Saraki and Mohammed, stressing that the decision was at best the opinion of an individual and not that of the Northern Elders’ Forum, pointing out that at no time was he and other members of the Northern Elders’ Forum consulted.

Kwande, who spoke with AIT from Jos, said that those pushing for consensus candidate are cowards who are too afraid and lack confidence in themselves.

The former Nigerian envoy to Switzerland therefore called on the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to whip Saraki, Muhammad and Governor Aminu Tambulwa of Sokoto State into line before they destroy the party.

In his own reaction, the Chairman of the Technical Committee for the Actualization of Atiku Abubakar Presidency, Chief Raymond Dokpesi declared that Atiku was never a party to the Northern consensus arrangement thus, not bound in anyway by the recommendations and conclusion of the report.

In the words of Dokpesi; “It must be stated categorically and equivocally that Waziri Atiku Abubakar MA, GCON Vice President Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999-2007 was NEVER a part of this purported consensus arrangement, neither did he at any time nor in any place, subject himself to any purported consensus process.

“Therefore, Waziri Atiku Abubakar is NOT BOUND by any of the recommendations and conclusions of the purported report”.

Dokpesi therefore explained that there was no way Atiku being a nationalist would have been a part of a “gang up” premised on the same regional, zonal and ethno-religious factors that had kept Nigeria sharply divided over the years.

He further said; “As an avowed nationalist, Waziri Atiku Abubakar strongly believes that Nigeria has never been as divided as it is today. He strongly believes that any ‘consensus’ arrangement premised on any regional, zonal, ethno-religious, and/or sectional gang-up will further deepen and widen this divide, and worsen the wounds that urgently need to be healed.

“Consequently, Vice-president Atiku Abubakar is anxious to implement plans, policies and programmes that will rescue and rebuild Nigeria. This is his unwavering and resolute pledge and commitment,” he said.

Dokpesi therefore called on the supporters of Atiku across the country to disregard the said report and continue to concentrate on their massive consultations and mobilizations ahead of the PDP Presidential primaries scheduled for Saturday/ Sunday May 28 and 29, 2022.

The report may have suffered a major setback following its rejection by one of the presidential aspirants, Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State, saying that he was not part of the failed exercise thus, now ready for the Presidential primaries in May.