…queue behind Atiku
- They’re on their own – ACF
Contrary to the decision of the Arewa Consultative Forum not to endorse either incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari or the Presidential Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, for the 2019 presidential election, the youth wing of the umbrella Northern socio-political organisation, the Arewa Youth Consultative Forum, has said it will pitch its tent with the main opposition party’s standard bearer in next year’s polls.
The AYCF also said it would mobilise other groups from the other sections of the country to sensitise their people on the need to back Atiku in next year’s presidential election.
But the ACF said it had nothing to do with the decision of its youth wing to take side with any of the presidential candidates.
Speaking exclusively to our correspondent, the Forum’s National Publicity Secretary, Muhammad Ibrahim, said that the AYCF’s decision to back Atiku in 2019 “is their own problem.”
Ibrahim stressed that the umbrella Northern socio-political body had taken its stand not to back either Buhari or Atiku and would abide by that decision.
“That is their (AYCF) own problem. We have taken our own stand,” the ACF spokesman said.
ACF, the umbrella Northern body, had cautiously said, through its Secretary-General, Mr. Anthony Sani, that it would not endorse either Buhari or Atiku ahead of next year’s presidential election because of the existence of other presidential candidates of northern extraction from other political parties, who needed to be given similar recognition.
We have taken position. In the absence of the desirable, the alternative becomes our choice and the alternative is Atiku. This decision is against the failed government we have seen, against this dictatorship we have seen, against the deceit, against the blackmail
Sani had argued that the ACF could not afford to ignore the other candidates because of only Buhari or Atiku.
But the AYCF President, Alhaji Yerima Shettima, told our correspondent in an exclusive interview that the North and other sections of the country had lost confidence in the Buhari administration and desired a real change in 2019.
Shettima lambasted the ACF for allegedly sitting on the fence on the matter, saying that the Buhari administration had failed and should not be allowed to continue to rule the country after the 2019 general elections.
He stressed that the country had reached a critical stage of taking a decision on who its next president should be.
The AYCF president, who is also the chairman of over 60 other youth groups of the various ethnic nationalities from different parts of the country, therefore, said Nigerian youths had taken a decision to support Atiku’s presidential bid in 2019 and ensure his success at the polls.
Shettima said, “We have taken position. In the absence of the desirable, the alternative becomes our choice and the alternative is Atiku. This decision is against the failed government we have seen, against this dictatorship we have seen, against the deceit, against the blackmail. Atiku is the alternative and we will use everything within our reach to support him. All the ethnic nationality, we will mobilise them. I am also the National Chairman of Ethnic Nationalities, the youth wing. We will have a national meeting where a firm decision on this will be made known to the public.
“Incidentally, I am the National Chairman of all ethnic nationality youth groups that comprises Ohaneze Youth Council, Ijaw Youth Council, Indigbo Youth Council, Afenifere Youth Council and so on, over 60 and above ethnic nationality groups. Now, we will take a decision. We have taken it before and we will reaffirm it. We have lost confidence in this administration, and now, we will sit down to take position, go back to our various constituencies and communities to conscientise the people. 2019 will be a new government and a new dawn. Things cannot continue like this, democracy must be saved.”
That is their (AYCF) own problem. We have taken our own stand
KNOCKS FOR ACF
Criticising the ACF, the parent body of AYCF, Shettima stated, “They have never made their position clear. They want to remain safe. Even during the time of Jonathan and Buhari, they did the same. They didn’t take a decision, when even Buhari was the only northern candidate. So, if they don’t, now, between two northern candidates, one will not be surprised because there is really no issue there.
“They have never taken a stand on what they want or believe in; they want to remain safe so that when the chips are down, where a government emerges, they will now go with it. They have forgotten that this is the moment of decision where we have to decide. It is not about individual interest, it is about the interest of the north. It’s about the interest of Nigeria at large. We have to be decisive because democracy is being threatened. They only exist because we are running a democratic government; they are beneficiaries of democracy. The moment we are out of it, then they will not be relevant again. This is a moment of decision. Of course, I understand their shortcomings. I understand their fears. But we have to tell ourselves the truth, we need to move forward. We can’t continue doing things in the same way and expect different results.
…Opposes FG’s travel ban on 50 Nigerians
The AYCF president also faulted the travel ban placed on about 50 prominent Nigerians by the Federal Government, which claimed to be fully implementing the Executive Order 6 recently issued by President Muhammadu Buhari.
He said that the measure was targeted at the opposition political figures in the country.
Presidential spokesperson, Mr. Garba Shehu, had said that the travel ban followed last week’s judgment of the Federal High Court validating the Presidential Executive Order 6, which provides for interim seizure of assets connected with criminal investigations or ongoing trial to prevent the said assets from being dissipated.
But Shettima said, “Don’t forget that these people are not convicted yet. They are mere allegations and they are facing trial. The court has not pronounced them guilty. This is another style by the same administration to clamp down on the opposition, to undermine democracy, and at the same time put fear in the minds of those who are enlisted. I want to assure them they should remain firm, they should not be intimidated, they must not be scared.
“They must be resolute and determined to work to ensure that this administration comes to an end in 2019 and a new government is produced. Nigerians are with them, we will watch and we will keep watching. They are using their executive office to convict people and I am sure judiciary is there. One thing that people have to know is that the fact that people like Akpabio are not part of the list is a clear indication that the moment you defect to APC, your sins are washed off, and the moment they perceive you as an opposition, they start moving against you to bring you down. This must not be allowed!”
The AYCF president also berated the ruling All Progressives Congress over the crises rocking the party since the conduct of its primary elections across the country.
He argued that the current crises in the ruling party had betrayed its lack of a clear-cut ideology.
Shettima said, “They are fighting today because we have never seen them as a political party, but an organisation of people ganging up just to wrest power without a clear ideology, a clear manifesto to give Nigerians the hope they want. It’s very unfortunate the man in Kaduna is already a goner. You can see the way the whole thing is happening. His days are numbered. We will ensure that he does not come back in 2019. It is Asiru this time; not him. He has not done anything.
“He only claims to have a monopoly of knowledge and is running people down, abusing their integrity. And Kaduna people will decide his fate. We are determined to work with other Nigerians, and we will do it to save our democracy, no matter what it takes. We will ensure Nigeria is taken from people who believe in divide and rule. We must unite this time around and take a decision. This time, it’s not about APC or PDP, it is about saving the nation. Today, we are talking because there is democracy.”
