The G-7 Governors in the Abubakar Kawu Baraje-led New Peoples’ Democratic Party, nPDP, who have been opposing President Goodluck Jonathan and the Bamanga Tukur-led National Working Committee, NWC, have been disowned by the Arewa Youth Consultative Forum.
The group said northern youths were not in support of the governors – Governor Babangida Aliyu (Niger); Governor Sule Lamido (Jigawa); Governor Musa Kwankawso (Kano), Governor Aliyu Wamakko (Sokoto), Murtala Nyako (Adamawa), and Abdulfatah Ahmed (Kwara) — saying they had failed in their various states and are only fighting for their own selfish desires.
President of the group, Mr. Yerima Shettima, said the governors were only fighting for self-preservation especially as most of them would have completed their two terms of four years each as governors by 2015. Only Gov. Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara State is eligible for a second term in 2015.
According to Shettima, “The fact is that the northern governors, who are fighting Jonathan for the Presidency, are not fighting for the interest of the average northerner. What have they delivered to the people as governors? The answer is nothing. They are only fighting to position themselves well so that they don’t fall victim of the system when they finish their tenure as governors. They don’t want to account for the things they failed to do in office, because they have not done anything as governors.”
Shettima said apart from massive corruption, there was nothing else that can be said about their administrations.
He added that the average northerner was not interested in where the President comes from, provided he derives benefits from government.
He said, “The problem of the average northern man is not where the President comes from, whether from the North or the South. What they want is a government that will provide dividends of governance; give them free education, ensure that they have food on their tables. It doesn’t matter if the person is a Christian, Muslim, pagan or idol worshipper, nobody cares. If we find a better alternative somewhere, other than the North, we will mobilise and support the person”.
SUNDAY PUNCH
Mr shettima, thou hast spoken well.i hope dis shud be d understanding/mentality of our fellow northners n d can b @ peace with anybody(southners) Especially during presindential pursuit of dis gr8t nation
Bravo shettima pls enlighten more people.
the day nigerians will start thinking this way then our progress as a nation will be achieved