2015: North to settle for consensus candidate

Ahead of the 2015 presidential election, Northern leaders have settled to present a consensus candidate, Niger State governor and chairman, Northern Governors Forum (NGF) Mu’azu Banbagida Aliyu has said. Governor Aliyu made this known during the forum’s meeting in Kaduna. According to him, since the interest of the people of the region is paramount, they will use political party platform to promote such interest in fulfillment of the campaign pledges made to the Northerners. He said: “We must also know that by 2015, we are going as united constituent group. There were times when we went as constitutionalists and federalists, and some as regionalists, this time around; we must do everything possible within the time period to unite ourselves and to go that time as a united group. “The interest of the people is paramount, we must understand that, and we must also understand that political parties are platforms and it is the interest of our own people that should guide our actions, our interests and our activities,” he said. While cautioning former head of state, General Mohammadu Buhari against making inflammatory statements capable of affecting the fragile unity and security of the country, he noted the emerging drift of destructive political activities in the nation apparently to prepare the grounds for the actualisation of some people’s political ambition. Governors present at the meeting include: Governor Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa of Kaduna, Governor Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko of Sokoto, Gabriel Suswam of Benue, Governor Ibrahim Shema of Katsina and Governor Murtala Nyako of Adamawa. Others are Governor Saidu Dakingari of Kebbi; Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno and Governor Jonah Jang of Plateau.