Esther Salifu
The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has rejected the call by Abdullahi Ganduje, the Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), for northerners to wait until 2031 before vying for the presidency.
According to Prof. Tukur Muhammad-Baba, the National Publicity Secretary of the ACF, the North cannot afford to wait that long for presidency .
Muhammad-Baba criticized Ganduje’s comment, saying it reflects the “cult-like nature” of the presidency, where allegiance to the president is paramount.
He emphasized that voters cannot be influenced by force and that it’s up to them to endorse, reject, or modify Ganduje’s opinion.
The ACF spokesperson also noted that Ganduje’s comment is not new, as others, including Senator George Akume, have made similar statements. He expressed concern that voters are becoming wise to the fact that the presidency is not just about the individual, but also about their policies and impact on the people.
“We are in the season of politics and you should expect that those who are near the corridors of power should express those things. But it’s not constitutional.
“We were sold a dummy of many things and people have realized that it wasn’t true. Then, of course, the Renewed Hope came in 2023, and the hope is turning into a nightmare.
“What will sell President Bola Tinubu, I think and I hope, is not whether he will contest or not, it will be his policies and their impact on the people. If they buy it, fine,”
He further stated that voters have become wiser
“He or she or party members cannot influence voters by force. So, what he said was an opinion and his personal opinion and it’s up to the voters to endorse, reject or modify what he said. I think voters are becoming wise as to where the president comes from” he stated
