Comrade Elliot Afiyo is the National Chairman of the Northern Youth Leaders Forum (NYLF), the umbrella body of 42 Northern Youth Organizations formed by the Northern Political, Traditional, Religious and Military Elites in 1990 with a membership of over four million Youths.
Comrade Afiyo is the third National Chairman of NYLF. He is also the Secretary-General of the Association of West African Monarchs and a senior Pastor in the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG).


In this interview with Daily Rendezvous, the National Chairman of the Northern Youth Leaders Forum (NYLF) Comrade Afiyo Eliot revealed that it would consider supporting candidates for the 2023 presidency from the South and northeast exclusively.


It went further to single out the current Bauchi state governor, Bala Mohammed, Atiku, the 2019 presidential candidate of the PDP, the APC national leader from the South West, Bola Tinubu, Rivers State governor and PDP powerhouse, Nyesom Wike, the current Senate President, Ahmed Lawan, Orji Uzor Kalu, Peter Obi, among other notable politicians, as formidable and credible candidates that the Forum would campaign foe to grab the reins of power come 2023.



The Northern Youth Leaders Forum also warned northern governors and the Presidential Task Force (PTF) not to impose another round of lockdown on Nigerians considering the lack of stimulus packages for the average Nigerian in the last nationwide lockdown and the unbearable hardship it brought on Nigerians given the millions of jobs it crippled.


These and many other revealing national and regional issues were also discussed by Comrade Afiyo Eliot in this interview, enjoy.



NYLF has been engineering the process of producing Presidents since 2003, I recall when NYLF nominated and presented Late President Yar’adua in 2006 and also in 2010 when NYLF insisted on former president Jonathan to run in 2011. In 2014, NYLF insisted on president Buhari. What informs the reason for your nominations?


Comrade Eliot Afiyo


In 2003, there were forces from the north that for one reason or the other, wanted a change because they believed and true to some extent, that the north was being marginalized economically and in terms of infrastructural development.


But we felt that will be a breach of the political agreement signed with Obasanjo in 1999.


It was a serious issue. But thank God, former president Babangida and former head of state Abdulsalam Abubakar were able to douse the tension and brought peace and understanding. Even at that, it was a difficult task to convincing the northern youth to dump Buhari for Obasanjo in the 2003 Presidential elections.
In 2006, we were able to convince Late President Yar’adua to accept to contest in 2007. He reluctantly agreed but in some two terms northern governors opposed the decision and wanted to break away.



They were subsequently faced with an option either to remain in PDP or decamp to ANPP. Before then, ANPP had already endorsed Buhari. They were also threatened by the Federal Government through the then Chairman of the EFCC who went to the National Assembly and told the Senators that almost all of them had one or two cases of corruption against them, weighing the available options, they decided to remain in PDP.

In 2010, it was Obasanjo that persuaded the Northern politicians to allow former president Jonathan to contest and serve for only one term.


Based on this understanding, an agreement was reached and accepted by thirteen senior politicians. This agreement was signed and the original copy was collected by one of the Governors from the south-south.




In 2014, former president Jonathan reneged on this agreement and decided to contest the north felt cheated, belittled, and ignored.

The attention of former president Obasanjo was drawn to it and Obasanjo thrice warned Jonathan on the consequences of his action and thrice Jonathan rebuffed Obasanjo. Meetings of the Northern Political, Religious, Youth, and Traditional Leaders were held in Sokoto, Kaduna, and Kano and after these meetings, a final and unanimous decision was taken to remove Jonathan by all means either democratically or otherwise.



A decisive awareness campaign was initiated towards the 2011 presidential elections. To prove the political worth, value, and supremacy of the north, Buhari was supported by the entire North-West, North-East and North-Central Youth, Religious and Traditional Leaders irrespective of political, religious, or ethnic leanings, and against all odds, Buhari won convincingly in all the three geopolitical zones in the North. Even Jonathan’s political field commanders from the North were involved in this political conspiracy against him. The defection of some Northern Governors to the APC was part of this conspiracy while some remained in PDP to work against the President from the inside.

Note that we supported and voted for Buhari in 2015 not because we considered him as the best candidate for the North, but because he was the only option and available best candidate to be used to politically chase out Jonathan in other to conserve, preserve, maintain and sustain our only best asset that is political supremacy and power.


In 2019, we knew quite alright that Atiku will win the election but he will not be given his mandate based on the political conspiracy against him despite our efforts towards uniting him with Obasanjo in 2014.





We consequently decided as a Forum, not to waste our resources, time, and energy to support him. We could not also campaign for Buhari because we were not happy or satisfied with the performance of his administration especially the security situation in the North, as a Forum, we directed and supported the state chapters in the areas of mobilization and election of individual candidates instead of parties.
That was why PDP won in some states and APC also won in other states. Many people didn’t understand the political mathematics and scheming that resulted in these victories and defeats, but we knew what we did.

Lol

I love this

We Biafrans don't need any unity, Biafra is sure.

They should just move the power to cotonuou..,...

Me sha want an apga Igbo president

Any cry of power to the South without specific mention of SOUTH EAST is PURE crocodile cry of greedy interlopers.

Sctests:
Any cry of power to the South without specific mention of SOUTH WEST is PURE crocodile cry of greedy interlopers.

I swear

Sammy07:


I swear

Why did you edit my quote Mr yorubaman?

Sctests:


Why did you edit my quote Mr yorubaman?

Because you made a mistake in your spellings Mr Igboman

Sammy07:


Because you made a mistake in your spellings Mr Igboman

I meant SOUTH EAST. Read properly, slowly this time Mr yorubaman.

Sctests:


I meant SOUTH EAST. Read properly, slowly this time Mr yorubaman.

The proper spelling should be SOUTH WEST Mr Igboman
Because that's where power is going to.
Reason why you made a mistake in your spellings.

Be updated in the scheme of things in Nigeria Mr Igboman

Sammy07:


The proper spelling should be SOUTH WEST Mr Igboman
Because that's where power is going to.
Reason why you made a mistake in your spellings.

Be updated in the scheme of things in Nigeria Mr Igboman

It's good to dream. Lol..

Yes Nigeria starts in Iragbiji and ends in Ikoyi. Infact nigeria is yoruba's personal property alone, that's why the rest of country will fold their arms and allow yoruba to produce another president after 8 years of OBJ presidency and 8 years of Osinbade's VPship. Go thief am.

Sctests:


It's good to dream. Lol..

Yes Nigeria starts in Iragbiji and ends in Ikoyi. Infact nigeria is yoruba's personal property alone, that's why the rest of country will fold their arms and allow yoruba to produce another president after 16 years of OBJ presidency and 8 years of Osinbade's VPship. Go thief am.

Let's see how you gonna scale through primary election Mr Igbo man

Tell the almajiri delegates and the amala delegates to vote for you in primaries.

Pls, how will you campaign in the North and West

Just act lemme see how you'll do it

Sammy07:


Let's see how you gonna scale through primary election Mr Igbo man

Tell the almajiri delegates and the amala delegates to vote for you in primaries.

Pls, how will you campaign in the North and West

Just act lemme see how you'll do it

It's SOUTH EAST or it stay NORTH with an Eastern VP.
Yes, pastor osibande the bayerabe infidel will convince sheiks and their almajiris up north to vote him and and abandon their own muslim brother who is candidate for opposition. Osibande is a miracle worker.

Sctests:

It's SOUTH EAST or it stay NORTH with an Eastern VP.
Yes, pastor osibande the bayerabe infidel will convince sheiks and their almajiris up north to vote him and and abandon their own muslim brother who is candidate for opposition. Osibande is a miracle worker.

Oh, yes.

With your years as VP, as Senate presidents as CBN governor from 1960 till date.

How many infrastructures den build for you compared to the opposition Yorubas?

Yet you cry marginalization

Sammy07:


Oh, yes.

With your years as VP, as Senate presidents as CBN governor from 1960 till date.

How many infrastructures den build for you compared to the opposition Yorubas?

Yet you cry marginalization

With 8 years of OBJ presidency, Lagos- Abeokuta road is a rotten road with potholes and huge pits everywhere, yet you want another yoruba presidency?

E nor sha concern us, una do una turn. No yoruba presidency in 2023.

Vote an Easterner in 2023 we are fair, we are just and we love to build everywhere we settle even in our private capacities. Now imagine if we have the federal instrument of power at our disposal. Na miliki for everybody.

Sctests:


With 8 years of OBJ presidency, Lagos- Abeokuta road is a rotten road with potholes and huge pits everywhere, yet you want another yoruba presidency? E nor sha concern us, una do una turn. No yoruba presidency in 2023.

How many Yorubas voted for OBJ in 1999?

Yorubas knew OBJ is an outcast

Answer me from 1960 till 2015.
How many infrastructures was build in Ala Igbo

Sammy07:


How many Yorubas voted for OBJ in 1999?

Yorubas knew OBJ is an outcast

Answer me from 1960 till 2015.
How many infrastructures was build in Ala Igbo

Obasanjo Aremu Olusegun is a yorubaman and an omoluabi through and through. Ebora Owu himself and a white cap chief.
No other yorubaman could be worthier to have taken your slot.
He has done your turn and has ensured that the next yoruba presidenct can only come in 32 years (after the South East and North East) takes their turns.

There will be no yoruba president in 2023. Know that and know peace.

Sctests:


Obasanjo Aremu Olusegun is a yorubaman and an omoluabi through and through. Ebora Owu himself and a white cap chief.
No other yorubaman could be worthier to have taken your slot.
He has done your turn and has ensured that the next yoruba presidenct can only come 32 years (after the South East and North East) takes their turns.

There will be no yoruba president in 2023. Know that and know peace.

Which turn?

Presidency is Ofe nsala?

when they are talking about the South, they lump the whole South together forgetting that we have south east, south south and south west. talking about the north, they become specific

Sammy07:


Which turn?

Presidency is Ofe nsala?

No, it is amola ati gbegri that you can simply enter Iya aduni's buka to grab anytime as a yorubaman.