2019 ELECTIONS: ACF, NEF disagree over support for Atiku

Leader of the Northern Elders Forum (NEF) and a former Vice Chancellor of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Professor Ango Abdullahi, has reiterated their support for the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar.

But, the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has dismissed the endorsement of Atiku by Abdullahi’s NEF and others, arguing that their decision may not significantly affect the outcomes of the election.

NEF was part of the five regional groups that recently rejected President Muhammadu Buhari to endorse Atiku to be the next president of Nigeria in the coming general elections.

Of all the groups, it is only NEF that there have not been reports of opposition of members to the endorsement.

Reiterating why his group remains part of the endorsement when he spoke to newsmen in Kaduna on Wednesday, Abdullahi said the rejection of President Buhari was necessary because he failed to deliver after the same bodies supported and fought for his election in 2015.

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“Because he didn’t do what he was supposed to do, myself with northern elders decided to come together with other five bodies across the six geopolitical zones to endorse Atiku after accessing the two of them. So, I am saying that we’re supporting Atiku,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has dismissed the endorsement of Atiku by Abdullahi’s NEF and some other cultural groups. It said their decision may not significantly affect the outcomes of the election.

ACF secretary, Anthony Sani, who reacted to the endorsement, said it was nothing new because apart from NEF faction led by Ango, all the other socio-cultural groups in the endorsement actually endorsed and worked for PDP in 2015 and yet the APC prevailed in the elections.

He said that what was only new in the development was the fact that only faction of Afenifere, faction of Ohanaeze, and faction of Northern Elders Forum, are actually involved and so the endorsement may not affect the outcomes of the election significantly.

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