The apex socio-cultural organisation of Northern Nigeria, the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), has distanced itself from the Northern Elders Forum’s (NEF) opposition to President Muhammadu Buhari's re-election, saying that NEF cannot choose for the region who to support in 2019.

The secretary-general of the ACF, Anthony Sani, yesterday asserted that Prof Ango Abdullahi of the Northern Elders Forum cannot speak on behalf of the northern region against the re- election of President Buhari in 2019.

Sani was obviously reacting to statements credited to Prof Ango Abdullahi, the convener of NEF, that President Buhari's second term ambition would not receive the support of northerners due to his administration's failure to fulfil his campaign promises.

LEADERSHIP recalls that Abdullahi had at the weekend said that the 2019 presidential election would be won and lost based on the capacity, performance and competence of the candidates, and not on sentiment as was the case in 2015.

Speaking with journalists in his Arewa Farms in Zaria, yesterday, Prof Abdullahi said power brokers in the North would not support President Muhammadu Buhari's re-election in the 2019 general election because he had woefully failed to address the abject poverty and underdevelopment in the region.

He said another four years of Buhari administration would be catastrophic with the current government's unprecedented incompetence and enthronement of mediocrity in dealing with the horrendous spate of killings and general insecurity across the country.

But when contacted by our Kaduna correspondent over NEF's opposition to President Muhammadu Buhari's re- election, Sani remarked that even some members of the Northern Elders Forum do not share Abdullahi's position.

Sani said : “We have nothing to do with Northern Elders Forum because of factions. Which faction are we going to talk about?” “The Arewa Consultative Forum disassociated itself from the statement credited to the Northern Elders Forum when they passed a vote of no confidence on President Muhammadu Buhari and other northern leaders some months back. Even now kicking against the re- election of President Muhammadu Buhari and its position that the administration has failed, we still distance ourselves from their activities. It’s Nigerians that will decide whether the president has failed or succeeded.

“We are not a partisan organisation; it (NEF’s position) is not a consensus of our people, instead it is a partisan position. It is God that used the masses/citizens of the country in making Buhari a president and they (NEF members) are not in a position to decide for the citizens.

“What I can tell you is that we are not part of Northern Elders Forum's position against the re- election of President Muhammadu Buhari. I read that even some members of the Northern Elders Forum distanced themselves from the position against Mr President.

“Not quite long , ACF dissociated itself from Northern Elders Forum's communiqué for criticizing President Muhammadu Buhari and other Northern Nigerian leaders. In the communiqué, they passed vote of no confidence on Mr President and other Northern Nigerian leaders and we said we are not part of the communiqué.”

Insisting that the ACF was not in support of the position of some northern elders against the president's re-election, Sani added that “ it's Nigerians that will decide and they (Northern elders) are not speaking for the people of the North."

Prof Abdullahi had declared that the forum held the aces in the politics of the North, adding that NEF’s position was guided by the desire to achieve the greater interest of the Nigerian nation and not just the interest of the region.

“The ideal presidential candidate for 2019 should be a patriot, a committed nationalist, a bridge-builder and unifier of all Nigerians. He must believe in, and must have demonstrated in practical terms, a strong commitment to the principles of our common humanity and the transformation of our diversity into sources of strength, ” he had said

https://leadership.ng/2018/12/11/pmb-you-cant-decide-for-north-acf-tells-northern-elders/

Those elders Don collect dollars from Atiku....
THE NEF is very corrupt that was the reason why Paul Unongo Resigned his position....
Same Paul Unongo accused Atiku of sponsoring herdsmen....
And the same Atiku threaten our Paul with 200bn lawsuit for damages...

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.vanguardngr.com/2018/01/breaking-atiku-threatens-sue-unongo-demands-n200bn-damages/amp/ ...



Atiku we are waiting for you in Benue, make ortom the deceive you....

If for anything,that's the division we hoped for.oya zombies from osogbo come and tell me their opinions don't matter & then tell me if they were not unanimous in supporting buhari in 2019.the splitting of votes in North already taking place.if u are not ok with the development,sniper is your friend

When they say northern elders I really imagine who are the elders or which foolish "elder" in north can claim to represent north and the common northern than pmb.

Even an ibb at best is a figure head in his Niger state with zero political strength.

They are just miscreants with one vote for auction

Northerns no sabi wetin them want

Kyase:
Those elders Don collect dollars from Atiku....
THE NEF is very corrupt that was the reason why Paul Unongo Resigned his position....
Same Paul Unongo accused Atiku of sponsoring herdsmen....
And the same Atiku threaten our Paul with 200bn lawsuit for damages...

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.vanguardngr.com/2018/01/breaking-atiku-threatens-sue-unongo-demands-n200bn-damages/amp/ ...



Atiku we are waiting for you in Benue, make ortom the deceive you....

You are from kogi. Stop denying your mumu governor.
Atiku will win with a landslide in the NC, you can take this to the bank.

Gandollar:
You are from kogi. Stop denying your mumu governor.
Atiku will win with a landslide in the NC, you can take this to the bank.

I hope nassarawa, Niger, kogi and the kwara saraki is jittery about isn't part of that NC

zlantanfan:
When they say northern elders I really imagine who are the elders or which foolish "elder" in north can claim to represent north and the common northern than pmb.

Even an ibb at best is a figure head in his Niger state with zero political strength.

They are just miscreants with one vote for auction

Your Bubril only represents and speak for the teeming almajiri population of potential terrorists.
What has your Bubril done for these ones?

While his kids school abroad and have the best things in life, have we ever heard that Bubril gave scholarship or even vocational training to any of them to make their lives meaningful?

Bubril is the face of a wicked unground northern elite sqaud responsible for impoverishing their people to perpetually keep them under their control for political use.

Gandollar:
Your Bubril only represents and speak for the teeming almajiri population of potential terrorists.
What has your Bubril done for these ones?

While his kids school abroad and have the best things in life, have we ever heard that Bubril gave scholarship or even vocational training to any of them to make their lives meaningful?

Bubril is the face of a wicked unground northern elite sqaud responsible for impoverishing their people to perpetually keep them under their control for political use.

I guess you can start asking the same north why they make pmb the greatest northern politician alive instead of crying more than the berieved

Gandollar:
You are from kogi. Stop denying your mumu governor.
Atiku will win with a landslide in the NC, you can take this to the bank.

Stop mentioning me....
Come force me become kogite na

Whatever!!!

ACF or Northern Elders Forumooo!!,...split votes in the North is all that is required for Atiku to coast home to victory.

End of story.

The illusion and deceit of Buhari having block votes from the north has just been busted.

Let's see how corrupt Gandudollar (Buhari's definition of ideal leader) will deliver the imaginary 5m votes to the lifeless one.

ipob pigs and idiots await nnamdi cownu instructions

Gandollar:
Your Bubril only represents and speak for the teeming almajiri population of potential terrorists.
What has your Bubril done for these ones?

While his kids school abroad and have the best things in life, have we ever heard that Bubril gave scholarship or even vocational training to any of them to make their lives meaningful?

Bubril is the face of a wicked unground northern elite sqaud responsible for impoverishing their people to perpetually keep them under their control for political use.

Your Obi is stingy. Even Fr. Mbaka attested to it. “I can only bear witness to what I have tasted. You can be promising and doing for them in Anambra. In your capacity and what God has done for you as governor, God hates stinginess. What I am saying is not to please you, but what will save your life. Otherwise you and Atiku will fail." How can you go to a thanksgiving and just go away without giving anything. Are you there to just see their singing and dancing for free?

Do you think Atiku became the presidential candidate of the PDP by being stingy? He spent dollars, if you don't know. They tell you to bring money and you start saying Buhari has frozen my account. When did that happen? Is Buhari's work now to freeze people's accounts?

Tell Obi to shell out money or they'll shame you even in Igboland. He wants to become VP of Nigeria without spending a dime. He wants to be handed the key of the nation's treasury for free, as if he doesn't know how they do it in PDP.

MalcoImX:

Your Obi is stingy. Even Fr. Mbaka attested to it. “I can only bear witness to what I have tasted. You can be promising and doing for them in Anambra. In your capacity and what God has done for you as governor, God hates stinginess. What I am saying is not to please you, but what will save your life. Otherwise you and Atiku will fail." How can you go to a thanksgiving and just go away without giving anything. Are you there to just see their singing and dancing for free?

Do you think Atiku became the presidential candidate of the PDP by being stingy? He spent dollars, if you don't know. They tell you to bring money and you start saying Buhari has frozen my account. When did that happen? Is Buhari's work now to freeze people's accounts?

Tell Obi to shell out money or they'll shame you even in Igboland. He wants to become VP of Nigeria without spending a dime. He wants to be handed the key of the nation's treasury for free, as if he doesn't know how they do it in PDP.

What's this one talking about.

The NEF are on their own. Who the northern elders help. Words on the street says the northern youth will not obey their elders on this one.