Acting chairman of Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), Alhaji Musa Liman Kwande, has said that people from the northern part of the country will vote for a presidential candidate from the region irrespective of the party he belonged to.
“I am expressing my opinion as a full-pledged northerner and a citizen of Nigeria and not that of ACF. Northern Nigerians who are tested and trusted should contest for any political office with anybody from any part of Nigeria and the people should exercise their democratic franchise to vote for their candidate of choice,” Kwande said yesterday in Lafia.
He said ACF and the Northern Elders Forum (NEF) were pressure groups striving for the development of northern Nigeria in particular and Nigeria in general, just like Afenifere, Ohaneze Ndi Igbo and others in the Southern region.
Alhaji Kwande, who is the Baraden (generalissimo) of Lafia in Nasarawa State, called on northerners to strive towards developing the region by voting for people who are pro-development and not those who are self-centred.
“Nigeria is our country. We must unite and develop it despite being from different geographical locations. We should not relent in the pursuit of growth and development as we are blessed with gifted people and many resources, as only Nigerians will develop the country to greater heights,” he said.
The acting ACF chairman also urged Nigerians to embrace peace and dialogue and denounce violence which, he said, was against democratic norms and a threat to the federation.
Alhaji Kwande, who called on politicians to accept election results by being statesmen, urged the youth to refuse to be used as political thugs.
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