From Noah Ebije, Kaduna
Arewa youth group and a northern elder have clashed over which of the presidential candidates the northern region should support come 2023 general elections.
The Arewa group under the auspices of Arewa Youth Consultative Forum ( AYCF) has said, “it most respectfully disagree” with a Northern elderstatesman, Alhaji Sani Zangon Daura that the region should support a Northern candidate for the nation’s presidency in the forthcoming election.
Alhaji Daura had called on northerners, especially the youths to support a presidential candidate of northern extraction because of historical perspective that placed northerners as the most active political players in the affairs of national governance.
In a viral audio of Alhaji Zangon Daura while addressing a group of northern youths, advised that they should throw their weight behind a fellow Northerner for the presidency in 2023.
However, in a statement on Monday AYCF said Alhaji Daura’s position had been, “overtaken by events, current realities and the spirit of justice and fairness in the Nigerian project”.
AYCF statement which was signed by its National President, Alhaji Yerima Shettima said the choice of a Southerner for President by the region was clearly in the spirit of justice.
Alhaji Shettima noted that, “Nigeria does not belong to the North alone, or Muslims and Christians of the North”, insisting that ” even on moral grounds, the most responsible political action by the North was the decision on power shift in 2023, because the Presidency cannot be hereditary and Nigeria is not a Banana Republic”.
Shettima further said however, that the northern elder was expressing his personal opinion and not the stand of the North in general.
He said, “A little balancing was needed in position of our father Zangon Daura, moreso when he admitted that the elders are mere escorts for the younger generation today”.
The AYCF noted that when 13 Northern governors led by Kaduna State Governor, Nasir Elrufai and endorsed a Southern candidate for the 2023 presidency, they repeatedly cited political justice.
“Though we are not card carrying members of the APC, we shared the view that the decision was in line with being fair to the South in 2023.
“We are aware, as well as our father Zangon Daura, that the North is respected for honouring its promises to the South and this one absolutely undeniable character of all Northerners.
“We are not known to break promises and that explains why our son, President Muhammadu Buhari never objected to the idea of Southern presidential candidate in the ruling party.
“In the North, like our father Zangon Daura knows, promises are sacred and in fact a culture”. The statement said.