2023: Northern groups rule out endorsement of presidential candidates

The six groups in the North holding public interaction with parties’ presidential candidates on Tuesday ruled out an endorsement of any flag bearer ahead of the 2023 general elections.

The groups which came together under the aegis of Arewa Joint Committee had so far interacted with the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, his Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) rival, Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi of the Labour Party, on their agenda for the North and Nigeria as a whole.

The presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Rabiu Kwankwaso, shunned the interactive session over the alleged planned endorsement of one of the presidential candidates by the groups.

The Chairman of the groups’ Steering Committee, Murtala Aliyu, who addressed journalists at a press conference in Kaduna, said they have no plan to endorse any candidate ahead of next year’s elections.

He stressed that their aim was to give voters in the North the opportunity to appraise each candidate based on their agenda.

Aliyu said: “We want to make sure that whoever will come, will stabilize the country and address the peculiar interests of the North.

READ ALSO: Northern groups back South-East for 2023 presidency

“We are not validating anybody, but we are going to tell the world what everyone of them said about what.

“Our duty is to make the public appreciate what each of the candidates has in stock for the North and the country at large.”

He insisted that it was not the duty of the groups to accept or validate any candidate.

The chairman revealed that five of the six candidates earmarked to attend the session had accepted to participate, and thanked them for their positive responses.

“It is for the public, the presentation was made public so that Nigerians may measure and evaluate the candidates.

“Our goal is to afford citizens an opportunity to match candidates against their commitments to matters that are central to the interests of the North,” he added.

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