Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Northern Elders Forum, PANDEF, M’Belt Forum, Afenifere faction endorse Atiku

Emerging reports on Sunday say that prominent socio-cultural groups in Nigeria namely, Ohaneze Ndigbo, Northern Elders Forum, Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), Middle Belt Forum, and a faction of Afenifere have endorsed the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar.

The endorsement is coming after a faction of Afenifere, led by Ayo Fasanmi, had last week endorsed President Muhammadu Buhari, who is the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate.

The general secretary of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Uche Okwukwu, who also did same, has since been suspended by Ohanaeze Ndigbo.

Endorsing Atiku at a meeting held at Ladi Kwali Hall, Sheraton Hotel, Abuja, the groups explained that their actions was sequel to Atiku’s determination to restructure the country if given the mandate.

The group which accused Buhari of not showing interest in restructuring Nigeria despite setting up a committee headed by Nasir el-Rufai, governor of Kaduna State to that effect.

They also decried that Buhari is allegedly succeeding in emphasising ethnicity and religion in his administration and lamented the high level of insecurity and constitutional crisis currently rocking the country.

According to them, Buhari’s administration had been dealing with perceived enemies under the pretence of fighting corruption and had indulged in blame game since he came to power over three years ago.

Speaking, Ango Abdullahi, convener of Northern Elders’ Forum (NEF), said Nigeria is at a cross roads. He said the endorsement of Atiku was based on principles reached a year ago.

He “The reality is that we have to fish for a president among the two major parties, the ruling and the main opposition. It is clear that the country requires a new leadership and this is why the Northern Elders Forum which I lead is in agreement that a new leader should emerge and that leader is Atiku Abubakar.”

On Buhari’s government attacks on critics of the administration Abdullahi said, “It is unfair to accuse us of vested interested on issues that ought to be of concern to every Nigerian irrespective of tribe and religion. Nothing is farther from the truth that some of us are being frustrated because we have been denied of contracts or appointments.

“We are yet to receive a reply to a letter challenging the government to name any of our colleagues who have asked for contracts.

“Today, our focus is on free, fair and credible elections without which the image of the country will never rise above where we are today. Where we are today, for a country with our size in Africa, so endowed with the kind of resources we have, where we are today is because of crisis of leadership. This election is about serious changes in the kind of leadership we deserve.”

In his contribution, Edwin Clark, leader of PANDEF said, “We have served in governments, so nobody should make the mistake of saying we are looking for jobs. We don’t belong to a political party but we met as elders and leaders of the three regions of the country because the country is at a crossroad.

“We want a leader not sick, but focused and has the respect of foreign leaders. We have been passing through crisis and the outside world is laughing at us. One man cannot change the constitution of Nigeria, the moment you can remove the chief justice of Nigeria (CJN) by fiat and gets the power to remove the senate president, you become a dictator.“

Ohanaeze President General, John Nnia Nwodo, speaking said, “Today’s Nigeria is not the one we used to know. The Nigeria we have today is not the Nigeria we desire. I grew up in a Nigeria where we use to love each other. Today, we have a head of state who has reminded us of our ethnic and religious differences and has put us into jeopardy.

“We have seen Katsina, Zamfara, Sokoto, Borno states crying that they have been overwhelmed by insecurity, seeking military intervention.

“This is the edge of precipice. These proclamation of governors followed the declaration by former chief of army staff, asking Nigerians to take up arms and defend themselves following the unrest in the middle belt.

“The very essence of government is to secure the country. The security of the country is in jeopardy. We have a constitutional deadlock in the country. Southern and middle belt have insisted on restructuring, APC committee recommended interesting initiatives but nothing from the president except to say we don’t have a problem of structure but process.”

A leader of the Afenifere, Ayo Adebanjo said, “I didn’t know that this government will become so tyrannical when we started this initiative. We are asking Nigerians to confirm the election of Abubakar. You’re not voting for him but you’re working for the interest of Nigeria. You must work doubly hard if you want the country’s unity. The evil tormenting us is devising new method to remain in power.

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“We are not so cheap to follow people. If you think all we have been telling you is propaganda, the recent exposure of the candidate will convince you of the type of president we need. Be vigilant until the election is declared and confirmed. You are the ones to save Nigeria.”

Speaking for Middle Belt Forum, Pogu Bitrus said, “Today we are making pronouncements that will save and reshape Nigeria, away from suspicion, ethnicity and religion has become an issue. This is the Nigeria we want to depart from into a Nigeria that everyone will feel they belong.

“We can only transform this country with a leader we can trust. In 2015, we thought we could trust Buhari because we felt Jonathan was too week, but three years after, all we get is blame game. In this government what we have is tyranny and crime (corruption).

“We have had to subsumed our interest into the national interest, come together as one and agree that the candidate of the PDP, Atiku Abubakar is our collective candidate for this election. We are convinced that her possess the capacity to take us out of the quagmire we have found again, that our economy will begin to grow again and we are going to push forward with development.”

The presidential election comes up February 16. There have been persistent claims by the opposition PDP of plots by the APC to compromise the election.

The latest of such claims are allegations of APC’s plan to import mercenaries from neighbouring countries of Niger and Chad Republic to rig the election. The allegation got heightened after two governors of states in Niger attended Buhari’s presidential rally in Kano State.

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