By Joseph Edegbo –
Ahead of party primaries, a Northern based mobilisation group,
Coalition of Arewa Forum For Good Governance (CAFGG) says it has endorsed the Minister of State Petroleum Resources, Mr Timipre Sylva as the only credible and reliable candidate to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari, come 2023 .
The Minister joined the ranks of chieftains of the All Progressives Congress (APC) aspiring to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari having purchased for him, the Presidential Ticket by his friends from the Northern part of the country led by Sulaiman Abdullahi.
According to the group, which reiterates its position on power must shift to the South after President Muhammadu Buhari’s eight years tenure of two terms of four years, Nigeria is in dire need of a Stabilizing factor; true democrat and a visionary Leader who has the requisite capacity and experience to consolidate on the achievements by President Buhari, a Northerner .
In a press statement signed by the Coordinator, Mal. Garba Yunusa ,the Coordinator of the Coalition of Arewa Forum for Good Governance ,said
the former Governor of Bayelsa State had convincingly demonstrated ability to perform and deliver dividends of democracy during his days as Governor and has continued to do as a Minister.
While urging all APC members to put the future of Nigeria ahead of personal interest during the forthcoming party’s primaries , the group in the Statement said , “We are supporting Sylva as a group from Northern Nigeria, because when he was a governor he was focused; kind and provided the needed security for our brothers in Bayelsa .
The Statement further reads : “The fact that he sponsored so many Muslims to Saudi Arabia for Hajj is a clear evidence that he’s receptive and unifying factor ,who has the ability to create a peaceful atmosphere that accommodated Christians and Muslims in the State.
” We are happy to acknowledge that the passage and eventual signing into law of the Petroleum Industry Act by President Muhammadu Buhari under his reign as Minister was indeed a great feat which has helped to stabilize the oil industry .
“The award of contract to revive the Kaduna Refining and Petrol-Chemical Company is a great feat that would help the economy of the entire north and Nigeria, as a country.
“Sylva deserved the exalted seat of the Presidency in view of his track records of performance and loyalty to President Muhammadu Buhari.
“We are urging APC members to give Sylva ticket because he is the only aspirant amongst those who have purchased Nomination forms that can help the party to win the 2023 general elections without stress.”