According to DailyTrust, Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, spokesman for the Northern Elders Forum (NEF), heaven will not fall if another northerner is made President of Nigeria.
At the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria, he delivered a keynote presentation at the maiden Maitama Sule Leadership Lecture Series, which was organized by the students wing of the Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG).
Northerners, according to Baba-Ahmed, are not second-class citizens and will not accept playing second fiddle in 2023, when the region will have the population to take first place.
“The North is not for sale and northerners will surprise those waiting for them to queue up in 2023 and be given money in exchange for their votes.” he said.
Those who do not want a northerner as President should leave the country if one is elected, he suggested.
Baba-Ahmed also challenged the students to be glad of who they are and to refuse to be treated as second-class citizens in their own nation.
“We will lead Nigeria the way we have led Nigeria before, whether we are President or Vice President, we will lead Nigeria. We have the majority of the votes and the democracy says vote whom you want.
“Why should we accept second class position when we know we can buy form and contest for first class and we will win? Why does anybody need to threaten us and intimidate us? We will get that power, but be humble because power comes from God. We inherited leadership, being honest is not being stupid
“There are Nigerians who believe that because the economy of the North is being crumbled; we are running away from insecurity, we are politically vulnerable, they think they can buy us for 2023 but they are making a mistake
“We are ready for this; we will consider every economic adversity, challenge, we will fix the Northern economy and we are the only one who can fix this Northern economy. For that reason, we are not for sale. We are in the process of rebuilding the North and we will rebuild the North from 2023
Whether the north retains power in 2023 or not, Baba-Ahmed believes that anyone who wants to tear up the country would say so, since they are only seeking for an excuse.
He also urged young people to get involved in politics.
“Don’t accept second class status because you are a northerner. No northerner is a second-class citizen in this country. If we want to support a southerner, we will support a southerner because that will be in our own interest and we can decide for ourselves.”
Source; Ghgossip.com
