While planning to produce a consensus presidential candidate for the 2019 elections, some elders of the north have constituted some committees to find solutions to the challenges facing the region.
In the meeting which was presided over by the leader of the Northern Elders Forum, Alhaji Tanko Yakassai, in Abuja, a committee was set up to search and present a consensus candidate for the 2019 presidential election.
The selected elders also discussed other strategies for reaching an accord and the adoption of the consensus candidate.
Those at the meeting include a former National Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Dr. Bello Mohammed; a former Deputy Senate President, Sen. Ibrahim Mantu, and Senator Paul Zannan.
Others are a former governor of Niger State, Dr. Babangida Aliyu; Senator Bala Mande; Senator Solomon Ewuga; a former Vice-Chancellor of the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Prof. Ango Abdullahi; a former governor of Sokoto State, Alhaji Attahiru Bafarawa; a prominent lawyer, Prof. Awwal Yadudu, and Alhaji Bala Mohammed.
According to Yakassai, the major ‘’preoccupation is to unite the North to relate better with the rest of Nigeria on a common ground’’, adding that the forum is a politically inclined group but non-partisan as all the political parties are well represented.
Yakassai also revealed that the forum is only interested in the unity of the country and want to maintain a common purpose, but it has no candidate in mind, adding that the forum was convened “after due consideration of the current political situation in the country.”
A communiqué issued at the end of the meeting, reveals that they also set up a committee to consider the possibility of restructuring Nigeria to commemorate the attainment of self-government of the Northern region in 1959.
