By  Chioma Gabriel, Deputy Editor
Discordant tunes are rising from the North, distorting the once political homogeneity of that part of the country ahead of next month’s elections, particularly the presidential race.

Abdulkadir and Tanko

Facing President Goodluck Jonathan in the election are the likes of General Muhammadu Buhari, a former military ruler, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, pioneer Chairman, EFCC, and Governor Ibrahim Shekarau (Kano).

The once powerful Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF, is sharply divided, its chairman, General Ibrahim Haruna having been sacked over his perceived support for President Goodluck Jonathan; while the recently formed Northern Political Leaders Forum, NPLF, appears unsteady after some of its members were taken in by the State Security Service, SSS, over alleged plot to “poison” President Jonathan.

A new group has since emerged, called Northern Stakeholders, which says NPLF should not be trusted.
Meanwhile, elder statesman, Alhaji Tanko Yakassai says the North “has not chosen anybody to speak for it.”
NPLF yet to decide — Bello

The Secretary General of NPLF, Mallam Abdulkadir-Bello says it is not true that the group has decided to throw in its lot with President Jonathan.

Mallam Bello who was one of the NPLF members quizzed by the SSS said: “ The NPLF has not yet decided on whether to support Jonathan candidacy or not.

The decision day by NPLF was the day I was arrested. But we would meet very soon on that. But seriously speaking, there could be 5th columnists either on our side or their side trying to disrupt whatever move either of  the groups is trying to make.

It’s strange, baseless and ordinarily ,common sense would have  revealed  that some people are out to achieve an ulterior motive.

We don’t trust NPLF,–Northern Stakeholders Forum

However, a member of the newly formed Northern Stakeholders Forum said: NPLF and Atiku want  to enter an agreement with Jonathan which we in Northern Stakeholders Forum, are opposed to.

Our aim is not to support Jonathan but to bring together all the progressive forces in the North. Our activities have  seriously dented Adamu Ciroma whose wife is out there campaigning vigorously for Jonathan.

Ciroma should not be pretending he is not supporting Jonathan when his wife is out there doing so. Why  would Bibi Farouk want to kill Jonathan? Why would they want to  do that and  how?  Does Jonathan go about drinking or eating anyhow ? They are trying to revive their legitimacy. That is why no group from the North  is raising dust over the harassment of NPLF members.

To us, the harassment was  stage managed  .

“Our group is against insulting Jonathan but our main agitation is for all presidential candidates from the North  to step down for one candidate. It is either we have Buhari or  Ribadu or  Shekarau or John Dara even though the last two are  not  significant players  because they  do not pose any threat. John Dara, is an eloquent man but not a threat to any  presidential candidate.

“This arrest is stage-managed, plotted  to prepare ground  to enter Jonathan’s  government. We pointed out the inconsistencies of  Ciroma in the past . Ciroma has no electoral value and cannot deliver a ward.  Even Jonathan has come to accept that fact.

Arresting them is giving them credibility so as to pave the way for working with Jonathan. Why would they poison Jonathan? . It is an insult to our credibility.

And come to think of it, no  Northern group raised hell over these arrests and is that not telling you something?  Something is fishy here.

We don’t play politics in ACF – Aliko Mohammed, ACF Chairman

Alhaji Aliko Mohammed who replaced IBM Haruna as Chairman, Arewa Consultative Forum says:
“Our points in politics are well known and of course, we will prefer a Northern presidential candidate. We have three Northern presidential candidates in the persons of Buhari, Ribadu and Shekarau who are also members of ACF.

The PDP has got theirs and in their constitution, they talked about zoning which they are not keeping. Sambo attended our meeting  last week Tuesday like other members. We have not decided on any of the Northern presidential candidates.

They are politicians and  ACF is not about politics. ACF is not like  NPLF which  is a Northern political group led by Ciroma who is a member of PDP. ACF cannot speak on SSS arrest of NPLF members because they are politicians and members of  PDP. It’s not ACF’s  problem because they are not being hounded as members of ACF. It’s a political issue and not a matter for ACF.”

Nobody is mandated to speak for the North — Yakassai

Alhaji Tanko Yakassai, elderstatesman says nobody is mandated to speak for the North on presidency 2011.
“The North has not chosen anybody to speak for it. There are three people vying for this position and every one of them is sponsored by a political party that is made up of people who believe in its manifestoes. These people are national presidential candidates, not Northern political candidates.

We have the NPLF who are people in the PDP who decided to set up a committee to pick one of them as a consensus presidential candidate. It was entirely a matter for PDP. The three candidates from the North are candidates of  Nigeria and they are supported by their parties.