The Forum of South and Middle Belt Leaders has
resolved to dialogue with President
Muhammadu Buhari and presidential aspirants of all political parties ahead of
the 2019 general elections.
Already, the Forum, headed by elder statesman,
Chief Edwin Clark, on Sunday held the maiden edition of the interactive session
with former Vice President and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential
aspirant, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, in Abuja.
Clark, who spoke while answering a journalist’s
question at the end of a close-door meeting the Forum held at his Asokoro
residence with Atiku, said the Forum leaders would interface in the next few
days with President Buhari and other presidential aspirants "with a view
to knowing what they have for all ethnic nationalities that make up our great
country."
He said the doors of the Forum are open to the
president and all other aspirants across party lines, "and it's now left
for them to honour our invite and showcase what they have for Nigerians."
Briefing journalists earlier on the executive
session the Forum had with Atiku, President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief
John Nwodo, said the leaders had an exciting and fruitful deliberations with
the former vice president on the state of the country.
According to him, the two parties had frank
discussions on the current state of Nigeria as well as the resources, economy and security.
According to Nwodo, “The former vice president
brought his wealth of experience to bear on what he told us about his
conviction about the Nigerian project and where he wants to take Nigeria to if
elected president
"We have recorded him, and should providence
shine upon him and his ambition becomes a reality, we will be able to remind
him of all what he told us about how he wants to go about governance."
He emphasised that the leaders are yet to take a decision on who to support as
presidential candidate in the forthcoming polls
"We have not come to a conclusion on who to
endorse. We will listen to all of them after which we will now do our
assessment and come up with a candidate to back for the presidential
ticket," he stated.
On his part, Atiku said he had fruitful
deliberations with the opinion leaders "as they asked me stimulating
questions that are relevant on restructuring, the economy, unity and the
Nigeria’s security challenges.
He said the interaction was productive "as we
were very frank with one another over all the issues, and I think this kind of
exercise can be a guide to future leaders of this country."
Nigeria, Atiku further said, is a country with many
nationalities, and expressed his readiness to come up with required solution to
solve the myriad of problems facing it.
The presidential aspirant said: "My main focus
is for Nigeria to remain one indivisible country while taking into
consideration all the many challenges facing it with a view to having a united
Nigeria."
Other South and Middle Belt Forum leaders at the
meeting with Atiku include Afenifere leader, Chief Ayo Adebanjo; Chairman of
Middle Belt Forum, Air Commodore Dan Suleiman(rtd); Chief Samuel Okeke, Yinka
Odumakin and Prof Banji Akintoye.
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