2023: Northern Elders charge Nigerians to question presidential candidates on plans

The Northern Elders Forum (NEF) on Sunday challenged Nigerians to interrogate all the presidential candidates on their plans for the country.

The Arewa Joint Consultative Committee had a few weeks ago interacted with five presidential candidates on their specific plans for the country.

The NEF spokesman, Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, who featured in a Channels Television Programme, Sunday Politics, noted that the interaction was not meant for endorsement of candidates.

The elder statesman demanded a replication of the interaction in the country ahead of next year’s elections.

He urged Nigerians to examine the past records of all the presidential candidates and dispassionately follow them through their campaigns.

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He said: “Nigerians need to ask these candidates what their specific plans are. Although personalities play a lot of roles in the process, we should follow them through their campaigns and pay attention to their manifestos. Their personalities should be scrutinized. We need to press them to find out who among these people can be trusted.

“We invited six presidential candidates but five showed up. The platform was to hear from these candidates what their plans are for the north and Nigeria at large. All of them considered the issues we raised.

“It is also important for us to peel away the issue of money from the process. Money has been perceived to play some role but that shouldn’t be the consideration.”

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