From: Segun Babatunde in Bauchi
Ahead of the 2023 election, the Northern Youth Leaders’ Forum (NYLF) has endorsed Bauchi State Governor, Senator Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed as its presidential candidate vowing to work against his future political interest if he declines the endorsement.
“We hereby present to Your Excellency, the letter of endorsement, and a call for Your Excellency to declare your interest to contest the 2023 Presidential election under any political party of your choice. Your Excellency should consider this as A DUTY CALL OBEY and as such,you have no choice whatsoever to declare the offer”.
The forum led by it’s National Chairman,
Comrade Elliot Afiyo said that the group comprising of 42 northern sub-groups has saddled on itself, the responsibility of shortlisting, investigating, screening and endorsing credible candidate for every presidential election by her patrons since 1999 till date.
While pledging the Forum’s “unalloyed support and loyalty to Your Excellency towards actualizing this noble project,the chairman declared that ” we are ever ready to mobilise our 42 affiliated Youth Groups and over four million of our members to engage Nigerians to bring to fruition, our expectations in 2023″.
He then vowed to work against his future political interest if he declines the endorsement.
According to him, one of the objectives of the forum, is the political interest of the north, especially in a democratic dispensation, adding that the forum was saddled with the task by her patron since 1998 and they have remained faithful despite threats, intimidations and inducement.
He said that the forum during it’s 27th delegate conference in Yola, where they voted and endorsed Governor Bala Mohammed as it’s presidential prefered candidate for the 2023 general election, adding that 27 prominent Nigerians were shortlisted for screening by it’s political Commitee headed by Doctors Sani Musa as it’s Zonal coordinator Southeast during it’s NEC meeting in Gombe state.
“Your Excellency, this forum took interest in you when you defeated a sitting Governor in the senatorial election in 2007. Since then our intelligence Commitee by humble self to give his Excellency a close watch, this you may not know.His Excellency boldness and overwhelming passion for truth and justice which came to public notice when you displayed against all odds in the senate by introducing the doctrine of necessity which brought peace, order and tranquility in the nation, gives us assurance that one day, a desired and respected president will emergez to take us across the red sea” he said
He said Governor Bala Mohammed performances as the minister of F.C.T and his two years leadership in Bauchi State is indeed a magic wand that settled and established their hearts as well as the majority of Nigerians, that the Governor will take the country to it’s promised land.
Responding, the State Governor, Bala Mohammed said that the endorsement by the forum to run as a presidential candidate in 2023 general election is a great honour to him, people of Bauchi State and all coming up politicians in Northern Nigeria, adding that the leadership recruitment by the forum is worthy of emulation.
“I have never induced this group with one kobo and I was hearing it as a fairly tale and I knew some of the politicans that are of high caliber, that i have been trying to reach them. I keep asking why they think an absord politician like me could take such a responsibility because I believe God helped me in everything, rising me from a humble background to becoming a director in the federal civil Service, after an experience in the media and to become a senator representing Bauchi and later Minister of F.C.T and today, with all the persecution and prosecution, I became a Governor in Bauchi State”
“I am a highly fulfilled person, my children are my family, my wife is here, they have suffered enough for me. My well wishers have suffered enough of these demonitions, abuses, lies and destruction of my character and my person because of the perception that I may go somewhere and you are trying to pull me to that level that I will be shot with political mischief and treachery. I am not yet ready for that, I am fulfilled and that is why when I came to Bauchi. I came with the fire and the zeal to make sure I perform” he said.
