The Coalition of Northern Groups on Monday in Kaduna asked President Muhammadu Buhari and former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, who are above 70 years, not to contest the presidency of the country in 2019.

The group said such leaders were responsible for where the country found itself, adding that the country should be led by young Nigerians that could take it to the Promised Land.

The CNG’s position was contained in a communiqué it issued shortly after the end of a two-day summit which was held at the Arewa House, Kaduna on Monday.

The coalition gave the Ndigbo a notice to leave the North last year . It however withdrew the notice to quit months later.

Over 30 groups including the Nastura Ashir Sharif ‘s Arewa Citizens Action for Change); ShettimaYerima’s Arewa Youth Consultative Forum; Aminu Adam’s Arewa Youth Development Foundation; Alfred Solomon’s Arewa Students Forum; Abdul-Azeez Suleiman-led Northern Emancipation Network and the Northern Youth Vanguard led by Joshua Viashman, form the coalition.

However, while fielding questions from journalists, a leader of the group and the National President of the AYCF, Alhaji Shettima Yerima, said it was the belief of the coalition, that though it was the right of Buhari and Atiku to contest, it was left for Nigerians to decide their fate.

Yerima said on behalf of the CNG, “We advise him (Buhari) that we still have people within our generation who have integrity who are very competent and also have capacity to lead. We are advising him not to contest but if he chooses to go ahead to contest, Nigerians will go ahead to decide. This is our own opinion and advice to somebody whom we feel is a father to us. Anybody above 70 years should not contest.”

When asked whether the advice had been extended to Atiku , he said, “ it extends to anybody above that age (70).”

But the Presidency has challenged the Coalition of Northern Groups to cite the section of the nation’s constitution that stipulates that those above 70 years cannot contest the presidential seat.

The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, gave the challenge in an interview in reaction to the northern coalition’s call that Buhari and Atiku, who are above 70 years, should not contest the presidency of the country in 2019.

He said the country was being governed by law, hence nobody’s constitutional right could be abridged for no just cause.

The presidential spokesman said, “Let them tell us the section of the constitution that stops those above 70 years from contesting. As you know, the country is governed by law and the President has not breached any law by showing interest in the race.

“If they want to contest, they are free to come out and do so. The President is not stopping anybody from contesting against him.”

Attempts to get a reaction from former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar were unsuccessful.

Calls to the mobile telephone number of his Media Adviser, Paul Ibe, indicated that it was switched off. A response to a text message sent to him on the subject was being awaited as of the time (8:45 pm) of filing this report.

A communiqué read on behalf of the CNG by its spokesman, Alhaji Abdul-Azeez Suleiman, said the summit basically centered on restructuring of the country as being clamoured by some Nigerians.

The coalition said it opted for a holistic “restructuring” of the country.

It lamented the attitude of northern political leaders to the contentious issue of restructuring of the country.

The CNG also dismissed both the Northern Governors’ Forum Committee on Restructuring and the Governor Nasir el-Rufai’s Committee on Restructuring by the APC-led government, saying that Nigeria neither belonged to the APC nor the PDP.


https://www.nigerialog.com/politics/buhari-atiku-shouldnt-contest-presidency-in-2019-northern-coalition/new/#new

eco88

GARBA Shehu you are absolutely right no any section in the constitution that, stated anyone above 70 should not contest . BUHARI will and must contest in 2019 presidential election. Coalition for northern group KO coalition for terrorists IPOB group NI

I dont think APC has any other aspirant..

How old is yahaya bellow age is not the problem, it all depends in the individuals mindset

#PMB1523

Some zombies will still call the coalition that consist of over 30 northern groups IPOB ,I wonder the kind drugs this people get high on .

Nigeria does not deserves these people as leaders.

They are saying rubbish .buhari till 2023.

The problem with men is that they count sex rounds based on them coming not on mutual come. If I didn’t have an orgasm , we can’t calculate that as a round. Whose round is it? Yours alone ? If you’ve never made a woman orgasm, you’ve never finished a round in your life . NEXT

So that the North can stay longer in power

Okay

Then who should contest?

I can see the hands of Tambuwal

Intruders not Leaders,we re having in Nigeria...

IGP should contest then

The way people hate ipob here only makes me admire their zeal


Even as a neutral person

Maybe for buhari but why Atiku

Abookis

Their opinion but not welcome......

Buhari till 2023....

We can’t make the same mistake we made 2015 by wanting the change we know not the real definition.

If there’s any better option than Bubari, meaningful Nigerians will decide, but for now, only buhari we know .

God bless Nigeria

stonemasonn:
I can see the hands of Tambuwal

you're right

True

we don't want a One day On and 5 days Off president like NEPA.

“If they want to contest, they are free to come out and do so. The President is not stopping anybody from contesting against him.”

Will the Presidency allow a free and fair election? INEC has registered underage voters in the North, which I believe was done to favour the Ruling party, how can the election scheduled to hold next year be free then? We all know the Ruling party is power-drunk. For them to lose the election, they'd rather rig.

DoTheNeedful:
So that the North can stay longer in power

DoTheNeedful:
So that the North can stay longer in power

ko let work,E nor possible

I don't believe this.... I must vote Buhari this time and he must win.... Since say na suffer una want

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