The North will support candidates at elections beginning from 2027 based on enforceable agreements for the purpose of ensuring and protecting the informed interests of their region, irrespective of the geo-political zone of candidates, the National Political Consultative Group (North) being championed by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former Governor of Kaduna State, Ahmad Nasir El-Rufai and other political heavyweights said on Monday.

The organisation also decried what it described as the impunity of elected leaders who run away with the peoples mandate by purporting to make decisions for their constituents without consultation.

The NPCG cited the recent developments in which elected state Governors and legislators are usurping the power of the people by endorsing President Bola Tinubu and themselves for re-election to political offices without reference to their constituents, advising that constituents should sanction such elected officials to serve as deterrent.

According to them, the North must proceed with a united front in political choice going forward to ensure that they get its maximum return in national political participation.

These were among the highlights of a communique issued after the 2nd Expanded Meeting of the National Political Consultative Group (North) held in Abuja and signed by its chairman and former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal. The meeting, according to the communique, was attended by prominent political leaders drawn from all the 19 Northern states and the FCT with the main focus of reviewing the challenges of insecurity in the North.

A keynote address was delivered by a former Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), with goodwill messages were received from leaders from the South-South, South-East and South-West geo-political regions of the country represented by Rotimi Amaechi, Peter Obi and Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola respectively.

Lawal said the organisation is founded with the objective of uniting Northern political leaders and forging a strong relationship and working as a united interest group, as much as possible within a political party.

He said, “Delegates agreed that the three major drivers of any society are fear, emotions and knowledge and resolved that the North must not allow itself to be driven by fear nor emotions but by knowledge.

“The meeting decried the impunity of elected leaders who run away with the peoples mandate by purporting to make decisions for their constituents without consultation, citing the recent developments in which elected state Governors and legislators are usurping the power of the people by endorsing other persons and themselves for re-election to political offices without reference to their constituents, advising that constituents should sanction such elected officials to serve as deterrent.

“Delegates acknowledged that insecurity had reached unprecedented levels under the present administration, aggravating poverty, hunger, destitution and near collapse of education at the primary and secondary levels.

“Delegates agreed that the three major drivers of any society are fear, emotions and knowledge and resolved that the North must not allow itself to be driven by fear nor emotions but by knowledge.

“Delegates resolved that the North must proceed with a United front in political choice going forward to ensure the region gets its maximum return in national political participation.”

The meeting agreed that the political platform on which the interest of the region will be pursued should be unveiled urgently.

It was also agreed that the North and indeed the entire nation need selfless leaders both in the management of political parties as well as public sector governance.

The organisation also agreed on the need to escalate its initiative to all the nineteen (19) States and FCT through the provision of the appropriate template.

The meeting also resolved that the North must prioritise and promote industrialisation and high productivity in all sectors in order to exit the present economic quagmire.

Other resolutions are that in working towards a United North, the issue of equity, fairness and justice, both within and between states, must be addressed comprehensively.

“That, going forward, the North must premise its support for candidates at elections on enforceable agreement for the purpose of ensuring and protecting the informed interests of the region, irrespective of where the candidates come from.

“The meeting finally resolved to set up committees to facilitate implementation of decisions and resolutions of the meeting.”

Friday Olokor

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