2019: Ex-generals, Governors, Ministers Regroup To Battle Buhari

Agency ReporterApril 28, 2018

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Some prominent leaders from the North have assembled to kick President Muhammad Buhari out of office come 2019.

The plan, according to elder statesman, Tanka Yakassai, is to produce a more credible and acceptable presidential candidate from the region.

Some members of the movement are mainly retired military chiefs, former governors, ex-ministers, senators and other top public office holders.

Speaking with the Sun about the movement and the plan to sack the current administration, Yakasai dismissed the claim that the entire North is for Buhari, saying, “I don’t know how you came to that conclusion, because other aspirants are expressing their wish to contest, people are still aspiring.

“The question of someone becoming a consensus candidate for a whole area of the north does not make sense.

“In addition, the rule of multi-party democracy, there will never be a consensus candidate anywhere in Nigeria or anywhere multi-party is practiced. Otherwise, the merit of multi-party democracy is defeated.

“And that does not go with democracy if you come up with a consensus candidate. Consensus candidate means killing competition. Competition is the livewire of democracy.

“Those who are elected particularly at the presidential level owe their allegiance to the people who got them into office and not the voters. We want to change that narrative.

“We want the election in the future to be based on programme and manifesto, we want the election to be credible and through a verifiable process that would change the life of the people for the better.

“To do that, you have to come with your own programme and your own manifesto, not a manifesto written by hired Professors or Doctors because of their command of English that can impress people.

“Our focus is election-related matters. We want our votes to have values. After an aspirant is selected, the person can now face us.

“We decided to visit all our former Heads of state who are of northern extraction. We wanted to visit first, former Head of state, General Gowon, unfortunately, he was not in the country and we wrote a letter to his office to tell him about the emergence of the organization and he has not been back yet.

“As we were waiting for him, we had to go to Minna to see former Heads of state, Babangida and Abdulsalami. We found out that Abdulsalami traveled since January and would not come back soon but Babangida said he was around, we decided not to kill time but to go and speak to him.”

He assured that the group will also be meeting Obasanjo soon.

“We will do it. The programme is still on and you will hear from us. We decided to go to whoever is available. It was by the sheer interest that we found Babangida available.

“Our plan was to start with General Gowon but he was not available, even Abdulsalami that we wanted to do with Babangida was not around,” he said.

According to the Sun, some of the prominent retired Generals on this mission include Gen. J.T Useni, Gen. John Temlong, Gen. India Garba, Gen. Ishaya Bamaiyi, Gen. E.T Nienge, Gen. Laurence Onoja, Gen. M.D Chong, Col. Habibu Shuaibu, Navy Commodore Isaac M. Mankilik, Commodore D.T Hinga, Commodore Mainasara B. Kaoje and Maj. Hassan Zara.

Former governors also drafted for the assignment include Alhaji Attahiru Dalhatu Bafarawa, Dr. Babangida Aliyu, Ibrahim Idris Wada, Barr. Ibrahim Shema, Malam Ibrahim Shekarau, and Mr Boni Haruna. Ex-Ministers also involved include Dr. Bello Mohammed Haliru, Amb. Bagudu Hirse, Alhaji Muktari Shagari, Dr. Mohammed Shata, Sen. Bala Mohammed, Dr. Ibrahim Lame, and Engr. Mohammed Abba Gana.

Others are Senator Ibrahim Nasiru Mantu, Senator Paul Wampana, Sen. JKN Waku, Rt. Hon. Ghali Umar Na’abba, Alhaji Dauda Birma, Hon. Margret Ichen, Senator Simeon Ajibola, Arch. Ibrahim Bunu, Hajiya Inna Ciroma, Hajia Zainab Maina, Princess Rabi Ibrahim, Amb. Esther Audu, Sen. Joseph Akaagerger, Sen. Ndayako Dangana, DIG Philemon Leha, Barr. Umaru Shentien, Dr. Luka Bahago, Mohammed Abdullahi Keffi, , Alh. Nasir Zahradeen and Hajiya Mairo Habib.

Also involved are Bishop Pinot Ogbaje, Alhaji Ikra Bilbis, Prof. Abubakar Suleiman, Amb. Ladan Shuni, Engr. Buba Galadima, Alhaji Kashim Ibrahim Imam, Kabiru Turaki, SAN, Naja’atu Mohammed, Hon. Murtala Shehu Yar’adua, Prof. Auwalu Yadudu, Sen. Solomon Ewuga, Prof. Dakum Shown, Sen. Isa Yahaya Zarewa, Alh. Kabir Tafida, Sen. Ibrahim Ida, Prof. Tahir Mamman, SAN, Alhaji Yakubu Bamali, Hon. Emmanuel Jankanwa and Engr. Muhammed Baba Kachalla, among several others.