A coalition of Northern elders and politicians have in Abuja announced the formation of a new group known as Northern Political Leaders Forum to provide political, socio-economic and intellectual direction to the region. The group says governors in the region, the Arewa Consultative Forum and the Northern Elders Forum have failed to unite northerners hence the need for a new platform.
TVC News Senior Correspondent Sumner Sambo reports that at the meeting chaired by Tanko Yakassai and convened by Bello Haliru and Ibrahim Mantu, the new group presents itself as a non-partisan platform prepared to forge pres a united front to tackle political, security and social challenges facing the North especially as 2019 general election approaches.
After a closed-door meeting, it came out with a communique announcing the formation of Northern Political Leaders Forum.
The meeting also indicted northern governors for their failure to maintain fairness and social cohesion in governance especially through skewed appointments thereby leading to unnecessary agitation.
They said the powers of governors in Nigeria are enormous and should be diluted.
The non-partisan group later set up five sub-committees on Restructuring of Nigeria, Security, Politics, Northern Unity and 2019 Election to harness various views to be presented at a northern political summit next month.
