From Noah Ebije, Kaduna
A northern political pressure group, Northern Youth Forum (NYF), has carpeted leader of Northern Youth Leaders Forum (NYLF) that purportedly endorsed a number of candidates and running mates for the 2023 presidency.
NYLF, led by Elliot Afiyo, granted interviews to some national dailies, announcing a long list of candidates for presidency and running mates, majority of whom were serving All Progressives Congress (APC) governors from the North.
However, NYF, in a statement by its Sokoto State chapter Chairman, Abdullahi Goronyo, said it took exception to the NYLF endorsement, describing it as hogwash.
The NYF called on “northerners of good conscience not to fall into the trap of what is actually a new group driven by political gold-diggers and opportunists imposing their own angle for cheap fortunes ahead of 2023 prematurely.
“Neither Afiyo nor his co-travellers in this handpicking of presidential candidates game have the mandate of the northern youths to take such a hasty but weighty decision and even proceed to draw a list of candidates while deliberately pushing the North East to the front burner.”
Going further, the NYF said: “Such a move would create the wrong signal that it was a collective decision built upon consultation with all relevant stakeholders, when, in reality, it is not.”
Goronyo, in the statement, called on northern youths to “concentrate on generating new ideas against 2023, especially in the choice of presidential and other candidates through massive political enlightenments and avoid unnecessary roadshow in the media so early.”