The Arewa Consultative Youths Movement (ACMY) says it will conduct a mock election for top presidential aspirants from the North to ascertain their popularity ahead of the 2019 general election.
ACMY President, Kabiru Yusuf, stated this on Thursday in Abuja while speaking at the National Delegate Congress of the movement.
Mr Yusuf, who had just been re-elected at the congress, said the aspirants would include President Muhammadu Buhari, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State and a former governor of Jigawa State, Sule Lamido, among others.
He explained that the essence was to ensure that members of the movement give their support to a youth friendly aspirant that would share their aspirations and visions for Nigerian youth toward a developed and united country.
“We shall in due course, conduct a mock election with a view to feeling the pulse of Arewa Youth in Nigeria and eventually decide on a most prospective candidate.
“The mock election will soon commence on our website, and it will last for a period of 60 days before the announcement of the results.
“I enjoin all of us to think critically about this, before we make our choice and to mobilise our members to take active part.
“There cannot be a better chance for us to contribute to give Nigeria the kind of leadership it deserves in the 21st century, “Mr Yusuf said.
He called on youth across the country to ensure that they register and obtain their Permanent Voters´ Card (PVC) ahead of the 2019 general elections.
Mr Yusuf stressed that it was time for members of the movement to enthrone good leadership in the country, because according to him, the country´s past leaders had failed the people.
“We must take the bull by the horn, we must change the narrative, the time to make this correction is now, and we must not delay any more,” he said.
Mr Yusuf added that it is now the responsibility of northern youth to ensure that the poverty and insecurity in the region were tackled head on.
He maintained that those benefiting from the poverty in the land must be stopped, because the education and general wellbeing of the youth in the region were not their priority.
“They have failed us, in line with that, we shall focus on the 2019 general elections, it is yet another chance to correct the leadership problems facing the North and Nigeria generally,” Mr Yusuf said.
He said the movement is poised to give Nigerians a candidate that would rebuild and unify the country as well as obey the rule of law.
He noted that several politicians and aspirants had indicated interest in the coming presidential election, saying that the movement had, therefore, short listed notable ones as likely candidates from the North.
This, he said, included but not limited to: President Muhammadu Buhari, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Aminu Tambuwal, Governor Ibrahim Dankwambo of Gombe State, former governor of Kaduna State, Ahmed Makarfi and Mr Lamido.
He thanked the Almighty Allah and those who ensured his re-election and assured them that he would leave up to the expectations.
Mr Yusuf also thanked those who contested the election with him for accepting the majority decision.
“Tomorrow provides another chance, but before then, we shall work closely to bring succour to our people, our land and Nigeria at large,” he said.
(NAN)
