By Emmanuel Aziken, Political Editor / Henry Umoru
Former President Ibrahim Babangida, former Vice-President Atiku  Abubakar and their contemporaries in the Northern Political Leaders Forum, NPLF abstained from Sunday’s inauguration following a collective decision to boycott the occasion.

Besides, Babangida other prominent leaders of the NPLF including erstwhile National Security Adviser, Gen. Aliyu Gusau, erstwhile Finance Minister Mallam Adamu Ciroma were prominently conspicuous by their absence yesterday though it was learnt that they were invited to the ceremonies.

Babangida attended the inauguration of Governor Babangida Aliyu in Minna while Atiku was believed to have been in his residence in Abuja.

The decision of the NPLF leaders to abstain from the inauguration was reached at a meeting by the NPLF leaders days before the Sunday inauguration.

The NPLF leaders Vanguard learnt hinged their decision to abstain on what they claimed was their distrust on the President to keep his promises.

“The leaders prior to the inauguration had resolved not to attend the ceremony because of two reasons even though most of them were invited.

One is that the NPLF is yet to believe that the President is one that can keep his words on issues.”

“The second is that the NPLF also does not believe that the President has extended a genuine hand of reconciliation because we believe that there are still some people around the President who believe that it is better to keep some people out and we do not believe that the President is not sympathetic to that idea,” the source revealed last night.

Inauguration grounds Communication in Abuja
Meanwhile communication within Abuja and outside was disrupted during the inauguration last Sunday as part of security measures accompanying the swearing-in ceremony of President Goodluck Jonathan .

Mobile telephone and internet services were disrupted in Abuja and Kaduna prior to the commencement of the inauguration ceremonies Prior to the commencement of the inauguration ceremony the major mobile telephone providers, Glo, Airtel and MTN blocked their services to their customers, and even hours after the end of the event, the lines were not restored making it impossible for people to relate with one another.

Particularly affected were Journalists who complained bitterly that they could not reach out to their offices or colleagues on the need to give feedback on the ceremony as well as give situation report.

Vanguard gathered that the order given to the service providers to switch off the operating equipment by the authorities was for security reason and part of moves to avoid the incident of last year during the celebration of the country’s 50th anniversary where due to some security lapses, some persons were able to plant some bombs by the Eagle Square which exploded.

Though majority of residents who spoke with Vanguard welcomed the move they, however, frowned that it took up to six hours
after the programme ended to restore the communication network residents also complained that they could not conduct their businesses due to the blockage of many roads leading to the Eagle Square venue of the inauguration.