Five top socio-cultural
organisations on Sunday endorsed Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of
the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
They are: the Pan Niger Delta
Forum (PANDEF), Northern Elders’ Forum (NEF), Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Afenifere and
Middle Belt Forum (MBF).
A faction of Afenifere, led by
Ayo Fasanmi, endorsed President Muhammadu Buhari last week while the general
secretary of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Uche Okwukwu, has been suspended by the body for
backing the president, who is flying the flag of the All Progressives Congress
(APC).
The organisations said Atiku has
shown that he will restructure the country if given the mandate, accusing
Buhari of not showing interest despite setting up a restructuring committee
headed by Nasir el-Rufai, governor of Kaduna state.
The groups accused Buhari of
succeeding in emphasising ethnicity and religion in his administration, lamenting the high level of insecurity and
constitutional crisis.
The elders said the
administration had been dealing with perceived enemies under the guise of
fighting corruption,, adding that all they had seen in the last three years is
blame game.
‘NIGERIA IS AT A CROSSROADS’
Ango Abdullahi, convener of
Northern Elders’ Forum (NEF), said Nigeria is at a cross roads, attributing the
endorsement of Atiku to principles reached a year ago.
“The reality is that we have to
fish for a president among the two major parties, the ruling and the main
opposition,” he said.
“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.”
Responding to government’s
attacks following criticism 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.”
‘ONE MAN CANNOT CHANGE THE
CONSTITUTION’
Edwin Clark, leader of the
Pan-Niger Delta Forum (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.“
SECURITY ‘IN JEOPARDY’
John Nwodo, president-general of
Ohanaeze Ndigbo, said he is saddened by the current situation in the country.
“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.”
PLEASE, SAVE NIGERIA
Ayo Adebanjo of Afenifere, 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.
“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.”
‘THE NEED TO SAVE AND RESHAPE
NIGERIA’
Pogu Bitrus of the Middle Belt
forum, 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.”
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