2023: The Most Powerful Northern Group Backtracks on Atiku Endorsement. - Set Sight on Backing ObiDatti or TinubuShettima Aspiration

Daily Rendezvous 

- 2023 Will Be Full of Surprises of Betrayal

- We Have Full Control of 70% of Rural North's Votes

- We will Meet With Obasanjo, Others, Over 

In an interesting political twist, Comrade Elliot Afiyo, the 6th National President of Northern Youth Leaders Forum (NYLF), has revealed that his group with its 42 Northern affiliate groups, are withdrawing their support for the Atiku presidential with Peter Obi and Bola Ahmed Tinubu on the radar of the group.

NYLF had earlier in 2022 after the PDP presidential primaries threw the weight of it's support behind PDP 's presidential candidate Alh. Atiku Abubakar until now that it has decided to back away from the AtikuOkowa presidential bid. Would PDP and Atiku survive this defection from its ranks by northern group?

The forum which has the backing of Northern political, economic, military and traditional Rulers since 1994 and has been unarguably the most powerful political group in the North with the ability to influence over 70% northern votes is at the cusp of changing the dynamics of 2023 elections contest if it endorses either Tinubu and Obi.

The Forum will undoubtedly impinges on the veracity of the PDP and Atiku 2023 vision and add more drama to the G5 governors debacle with the PDP ahead of the 2023 general elections.

Comrade Afiyo speaks to Daily Rendezvous on some burning national issues from his hometown in Girei, Adamawa state 

RENDEZVOUS : 

Happy Christmas Sir.  We observed that after the meeting with your patrons, you decided to be silent. What is the problem Sir?

Comrade Afiyo: 

I don’t think there is any silence. May be you have not been able to watch or listen to the international media organizations. 

The truth of the matter is that our Patrons especially the former leaders are divided. While some of the former military leaders are rooting for Obi, some are rooting for Atiku while the traditional rulers are rooting for Tinubu. The patrons are divided into three major Blocks and this development is giving us major concern. Thank God that these issues were resolved to a certain extent after our meeting with them two weeks ago.

RENDEZVOUS: 

It is rumored that your forum will finally endorse Bola Tinubu instead of Atiku or Obi. Is it true Sir? 

Comrade Afiyo: 

Well, you know that our forum stands for justice and fairness. We have been adhering to that especially in 2003, and 2011 when we stood and supported southern candidates against a northern candidate. We jointly reviewed the political developments with our Patrons and putting the collective interest of the nations, the forum was directed to nominate one candidate and present such candidate to our Patrons for endorsement. 

We had a meeting with our zonal and state coordinators yesterday and a decision was taken that all the  state coordinators should organize their state NEC and submit their nominees to the political committee who will in turn submit to the NEC for final presentation to our patrons.

The most important aspect of this decision is that all our Patrons have unanimously agreed to drop their personal interests and support whoever that is endorsed.

RENDEZVOUS: 

When are we expecting the final endorsement?

Comrade Afiyo : 

We are meeting with all our patrons at minna in two weeks time and we will address the press thereafter. Definitely whoever that is endorsed, becomes the next President by the grace of God and we must have genuine and convincing reasons to justify our endorsement. 

RENDEZVOUS: 

Is the timing of the withdrawal your endorsement not late?

Comrade Afiyo : 

The timing is never late because we need just two weeks to pass any message down to the rural North. 

Secondly, there are so many political developments that warrant reassessments. Putting into consideration the unity, peace and progress of the nation which can only be guaranteed by justice and fairness. These reasons will be known to the public after the ongoing consultation process.

RENDEZVOUS: 

But your group is a northern interest group, is it not contrary to your purpose to support an all southern candidates?

Comrade Afiyo : 

NYLF is purely a Northern interest group formed to project the northern interest but within the national interest. This infer that the Northern interest being projected must be within the national interest. This implies that the national interest encircled the Northern interest and this Northern interest must be projected within the confines of the national interest no matter who becomes the President. 

From past experiences, Northern interest is more projected under presidents of southern extractions.

We strongly believe that justice and fairness are the only antidotes to chaos and violence. Which means we must ensure that justice is not only done but seem to be done at all cost even if it negates the Northern interest which is impossible. 

This is why we supported Obasanjo against Buhari in 2003 and Jonathan against Buhari in 2011. When Jonathan refused to project the National interest in 2015, we proved to him that sometimes Northern interest could be projected to enforce the national interest. This is what we want to do in 2023. We cannot allow our political future to be destroyed and in the same vein we cannot allow the future political interest of the Southerners to be mortgaged. This is simply the justice and fairness we are talking about which is the National interest. It is the golden rule. Don't do to others what you will not allow others to do to you.

RENDEZVOUS: 

What are we expecting from your Forum

Comrade Afiyo : 

Expect a just and fair decision which will usher in a brand new and best President that all Nigerians will be proud of.

RENDEZVOUS: 

How soon will thar happen?

Comrade Afiyo : 

We are still consulting. We must meet with some former leaders across the country. We have some serving Governors such as Bala Mohammed of Bauchi,  Yahaya Bello of Kogi, Umar Ganduje of Kano, Nasir El-rufai of Kaduna and Darius Ishaku of Taraba.

Some of our Patrons are also insisting that we meet three of the G5 Governors.

We will also meet with the the national Chairmen of the four leading political parties. We have some Emirs such as the Sultan, Etsu Nupe, Kwandi Nunguraya and Emir of Katsina to consult.

RENDEZVOUS : 

But we can see a particular candidate pulling crowd and even some supporters of other candidates shouting his name during their campaigns? 

Comrade Afiyo : 

Don’t be carried away by such developments. All the candidates are renting the same crowd. The same people are being sponsored to embarrass other candidates during their campaigns.  All our states coordinators used to send reports after every rally in their states. Some APC governors are working for Atiku just like some PDP governors apart from the G5, are also working for Tinubu. What you see or observe during rallies is not the reflection of what is going to happen. Nigerian electorates especially the northern electorates are more enlightened now. They listen to Imams and Pastors but will definitely not obeying them anymore. The result of the 2023 presidential elections will shock everybody even the key players just like 1993.

 

RENDEZVOUS: 

Are you saying that the results of 2023 will be contrary to expectations? 

Comrade Afiyo : 

Quite contrary to expectations of the conservatives. One thing is sure, if at all the elections would be held, Nigerians from all over the world will feel the sense of belongingness, togetherliness and brotherliness after the results are declared.     

RENDEZVOUS: 

From your analysis, it seems we are going to witness a lot of betrayals? 

Comrade Afiyo:  

Are we not witnessing high levels of betrayals now. Looking at what is happening in and around the leading candidates, genuine loyalists are completely barricaded from accessing the candidates but one. The hypocrites, liars, failed politicians are now members of their inner circles. Though 98% of politicians prefer lies to the truth, if you tell them lies, they will embrace and easily believe you, but if you tell them truth, you are automatically a suspect and not worthy to be trusted and as such should be kept at a distance with a concurrent monitoring. This is why today I am not embraced fully by any of them unless after their retirements because I have no any other interest but national interest, therefore, I must tell them the truth.

RENDEZVOUS: 

Is that why you are poor? 

Comrade Afiyo: 

Hahaha. I am not poor by any standard. I can eat anything I want to eat, drink anything I want to drink. Sleep in anywhere I want to sleep. I am fully in charge of my family responsibilities. I am assisting the less privileged in the society. I can visit any local government in the north without paying for accommodation, feeding or logistics because at least 20 of our members will be struggling to outsmart each other in paying my bills. Today, if I want to visit any former president, serving governor or traditional ruler, I don’t need to book an appointment because they know that I will never request for anything. 

RENDEZVOUS: 

You made a passing pension of the G5 governors, what is your take on them and why is it important that you meet with them?

.Comrade Afiyo: 

To us, they are the most patriotic Nigerians because they are speaking their minds from their hearts publicly and openly unlike the other Governors who pretend to support their presidential candidates openly but working against them secretly. 

RENDEZVOUS: 

So Governor Wike is a Patriot.

Comrade Afiyo: 

Ofcourse yes. In any ramification you view it, Wike is a good leader. Believe it or not he is a type of a leader this country needs. Wike, Bala Mohammed, Ahmed Lawan the Senate  president, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, Alh. Mohammed Babandede and Senator Orji Uzor Kalu possess  good character traits that can be compare with that of Sadauna of Sokoto and Tafawa Balewa as demonstrated in 1957 conference. If they believe in something,  they say it and back it up with open and public action without minding whose ox is gored. Only at times they say or do somethings that are not necessary. But they are humans.

RENDEZVOUS: 

It is a known fact that you are very close to Atiku. What will you do if he is not endorsed by your Forum.

Comrade Afiyo: 

My closeness with Atiku will never stop me from carrying out the mandate of the Forum. Relationship, tribe or religion will never be considered by me when it comes to national political or economic interest. I was close to Atiku and we belong to Adamawa state, yet I worked against him in 2007.  My house in Kaduna was completely burnt down with four of my cars because of Atiku. 

My house in Abuja and Yola were revoked and taken away because of Atiku. Yet I supported him in 2014 without asking for a dime. I only complained to him through Garba Shehu the present presidential spokesman. Nothing was done and I am not bothered. I supported Bala Mohammed against Atiku before PDP’s primaries because our forum endorsed Bola Mohammed. 

 A strong and united forum was handed over to me fourteen years ago and by next year June, I will be completing my third term of five years and I must handover a more united, vibrant, focused and virile Forum to my Successor by His grace. This is why I must not compromise the national to ethnic, regional or religious sentiments.

RENDEZVOUS:

Thank you for your time

Comrade Afiyo:

You are welcome