The National Chairman of the Northern Youths Leaders forum, Comrade Elliot Afiyo has absolved former President Olusegun Obasanjo of the allegation of attempting to impose a particular northerner as president. He said the former President knew nothing about the forum’s decision to select either the former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar or the Kano State governor, Dr. Rabiu Kwankwaso who were said to have been short-listed by the forum as the northern presidential candidate.
According to reports gathered by the Vanguard, the political committee of the NYLF had submitted the nomination of Atiku Abubakar and Dr. Rabiu Kwankwaso among the seven short-listed aspirants to get the body’s support.
However, Obasanjo is believed to favour one of these two aspirants and this is causing disagreements withing the ranks of the NYLF
The national President said “The fact remains that Baba Obasanjo strongly believes in the forum, having got similar nod in 2003 and 2007 for our late Yar’adua. But, he is not part of any rumoured plan to favour either of the two.
“The forum with a total of 152 affiliated youth groups in the region will democratically choose their Presidential candidate irrespective of the party he comes from. That is why the first attempt was cancelled because it was discovered that some politicians and former ministers infiltrated the delegates.
“But, this was misconstrued to mean that the leadership of the forum is supporting one out of the two. We have never been noted for this and we shall continue to keep our integrity. We shall elect one who shall get the nod of the over 60 million eligible youth and women voters in the North.
