The Northern Elders’ Forum (NEF), has thrown its weight
behind any competent presidential candidate in 2023 from any ethnic group in
the country.
According to the organisation, it would support any way that
will lead to improved security rather than the ongoing debate about labelling
bandits as terrorists, describing it as a waste of energy,
Dr Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, the spokesman of the forum in a
statement on Wednesday after a meeting convened by its leader, Prof. Ango
Abdullahi explained that the meeting noted that scrapping of the State
Independent National Electoral Commissions should be included in the ongoing
constitutional amendment.
The statement observed, “The Forum salutes all Nigerians who
toiled to restore a level playing field to our democratic system. It is now
left to politicians and other leaders to conduct the type of politics that
builds into it real equity, fairness, competence and justice, through inclusive
campaigns and responsible approach towards the 2023 elections.
“The people of the North want to work with other Nigerians
to produce a competent and committed Nigerian leadership that will restore
confidence in our country’s capacity to survive and rebuild itself for the next
generations.”
The forum opined that the Peoples Democratic Party and the
All Progressives Congress dominated the political landscape, expressing the
view that Nigerians would benefit from additional options.
It explained that the NEF looks forward to the emergence and
consolidation of other parties in the political environment, saying that the
continued existence of State Electoral Commissions which conduct elections into
local government councils is damaging the democratic process.
The NEF advised that the on-going constitutional amendments
should include the scrapping of these commissions and the assumption of their
duties by INEC.
The forum enjoined Nigerians, particularly northerners, to
register and prepare to vote for new and more competent leaders in the 2023
elections.
The Forum lamented the worsening security situation in the
country, saying that Boko Haram insurgency continues to be a major threat in
the North-East, while kidnapping and large scale banditry in many other parts
of the North are taking over lives of large portions of the population.
It noted that IPOB (Indigenous People of Biafra) threatens
to eradicate the influence of legitimate authority in the South-East, adding
that politicians and influential people are worsening the nation’s fault lines
by the manner they seek political advantages through threats to the unity and
peaceful co-existence of the country.
The forum observed that poverty and poor governance are
fueling widespread alienation from mainstream social existence.
The Forum joined the nation in its outrage over the fact
that Maiduguri, Borno State capital has been without power from the national
grid for 10 months, and is alarmed by signs that its population could be forced
to resign to living with this additional assault on their lives and livelihood,
saying that the situation must be reversed at all cost.
It advised that the planned closure of Internally Displaced
Persons’ camps should be carefully considered so that it does not place more
victims in avoidable peril.
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