Lamido, Others Reject Northern Elders For PDP  Consensus Candidates

Umar Akilu Majeri

Former Jigawa State Governor and one of the founding fathers of the Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP) Alhaji Sule Lamido has kicked against the proposed Northern consensus candidates produced by the Northern elder’s forum ahead of the May 28 Presidential primaries of their party (PDP)

The elder statesman, Alhaji Sule Lamido made his position known in a press statement he signed and issue to newsmen in Dutse on Saturday.

He said the position of the Northern Elders Forum was very injurious to PDP, it is undemocratic and capable of creating more confusion rather than promoting the party unity and progress.

Lamido explained that the position of the forum was just a mere personal opinion that did not in any way represent the collective interest of party stakeholders in the Northern region.

“Having widely consulted Party Leaders across the 19 Northern States and FCT, it is hereby stated to our teeming Party members and the general public that what is reported in the Media is only the personal opinion of those who issued the statement and not the position of the PDP members in the North”! 

“Discussions are ongoing with all the aspirants in our party with a view to having a National Consensus if possible or at least working towards having a smooth acrimony-free National Convention.” The statement declared

It can be recalled that Northern Elders Forum has on last Friday  issued a communique signed by its chairman and a former Vice-Chancellor, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Prof. Ango Abdullahi, in which the Forum shortlisted former Senate President, Bukola Saraki and governor of Bauchi state, Bala Mohammed as Northern Consensus candidate for PDP Presidential ticket

The Northern leaders said the election of Saraki and Bala Mohammed was arrived at based on certain criteria adopted in the assessment of the four aspirants who submitted themselves.