KADUNA— THE decision of former President Ibrahim Babangida, former Headof State, General Muhammadu Buhari and former Vice President AtikuAbubakar to contest the 2011 presidential election is not enjoying thefull backing of the North as a northern based group, Arewa ProgressiveUnion, APU, is said to be mobilising the entire North against theseleaders who they described as ‘expired leaders’.
So far, four presidential aspirants have emerged from the North. They include Kano State Governor, Ibrahim Sekarau.
Vanguard, however, learnt that some Northern leaders and young elements were reported not to be comfortable with any of them and have,therefore, embarked on a search for a credible northern candidate tochallenge President Goodluck Jonathan should he decide to contest thepresidential election.
Last Thursday, some northern leaders, including senators and members of the House of Representatives held secret meetings where someaggrieved leaders decided to form a new power bloc in the party, knownas the ‘Redemption Group’ to redeem the image of the North.
In what appeared to be a follow up to these meetings, Arewa Progressive Union, APU, held its meeting in Kaduna, yesterday, where itdeclared that it would soon organize “series of protest marches acrossthe 19 states in the North” to register its protest against thedecision of former President Ibrahim Babangida, former Head of State,Gen. Muhammadu Buhari and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar tocontest the 2011 presidential election.”
A communiqué issued at the end of the meeting in Kaduna and signed by APU National Chairman, Alhaji Abdulhamid Inuwa Abdulkadir, alsocriticized what the group described as unbridled ambition of PresidentGoodluck Jonathan and urged that “Nigerians must be cautious becauseJonathan’s desperation and ambition will soon set this country ablaze.”
APU added that the planned protest was part of activities to mark its15th anniversary which would be rounded off with a grand rally inAbuja, “where we are going to mobilize the entire North against theseexpired leaders who have continued to drag us backwards.”
The communiqué explained that special prayers would be held in churches and mosques across the northern states on Friday and Sunday,“to seek the intervention of the Almighty God to deliver us from someof our leaders who want to continue to enslave us.”
It stated: “The Arewa Progressive Union has watched with keen interest political developments in the country within the past fewweeks and hereby urges the entire good people of the North and indeedall Nigerians to ignore the laughable desire of Gen. Ibrahim Babangida,Major-Gen. Muhammadu Buhari and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar tocontest the 2011 presidential election.
“It is quite unfortunate that these people who are no longer current with modern developmental and leadership trends in the world stillbelieve that they can stampede the people into supporting them eithercollectively or individually in the quest to return to power.
“After several years of northern leadership of Nigeria, the North does not have anything to show for it except that the individualsconcerned and their families and friends continue to flaunt theirill-gotten wealth.
“The North today is the most backward section of Nigeria with destitution, crass poverty, illiteracy, hunger and disease on rampageeverywhere, destroying the people on daily basis. We find it amazingthat these northern grandfathers do not find it worthwhile to preparethe younger generation of northerners to succeed them, instead theywant to cling onto power forever and this goes to expose their highlevel of self-centeredness.
“The Arewa Progressive Union will not fold its arms and watch these people destroy the North. We have resolved to organize protest matchessimultaneously in all the northern capital cities, as part of measuresto sensitize our people that they should not be deceived again.
“The national rally and public lecture slated for Abuja is going to be all-embracing as it will also involve other sections of Nigeria. Wewant to chart a fresh way forward for our fatherland which has beenplundered by a few citizens over these several years.
“The Arewa Progressive Union also wishes to note that the current scheming of President Goodluck Jonathan to retain power by all meanswill not do the country any good.
“The President should not in any way overstretch his legendary good luck otherwise his unbridled ambition is likely to set this countryablaze in the not too distant future.”
“Although the APU is not a partisan organization, but we are conversant with all the arguments concerning the issue of zoning andpresidential power rotation in the country and hereby warn politiciansto be wary of any actions that will jeopardize the unity of Nigeria.
“In as much as we shall remain non-partisan, we shall not hesitate to intervene when it becomes absolutely necessary and mobilize theordinary people against the selfish desires of some people.”
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