Atiku, Aliyu, Nyako plot North’s strategy for 2015...

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Governors Murtala Nyako of Adamawa State and Babangida Aliyu of Niger State were last Friday locked in a night-long meeting to strategise on the political fortune of the North ahead of the 2015 elections. The meeting held at the Yola residence of Atiku, came a few hours after a Federal High Court in Abuja restrained the Kawu Baraje-led faction of the PDP from parading itself as the leadership of the party.
The three politicians are key members of the Baraje’s faction, which is fiercely opposed to a fresh ticket for President Goodluck Jonathan in 2015.
The meeting was said to have harped on the need to mobilise the North for the struggle ahead.
Aliyu appeared to have given vent to this decision yesterday in Yola when he said it is imperative for the North to reclaim its leadership position in the country.
The governor, who doubles as Chairman of the Northern States Governors Forum, spoke at the turbanning of Mr. Daniel Bwala as the Talban Adamawa by the Lamido Adamawa, Alhaji Barkindo Mustapha.
The North, he said, should rally behind the former vice president in the struggle.
His words: “I want to articulate my earlier appeal in Sokoto where I urged you, former Vice President, to help us unify and unite northern brethren to ensure that we have one northern entity devoid of primordial sentiments and differences.”
He also spoke on the proposed national conference and the crisis in PDP.
Aliyu said the North is all for the conference and will use it to address issues affecting its people.
He expressed optimism that the talks will make Nigeria a better country for everyone.
But he stressed that for the North to benefit from the conference, it will have to send its best eleven, because as he said, there is much at stake.
He asked the 19 states in the North to select only those who understand the issues at stake and are able to get the best for their people.
“The North is not afraid of the conference being planned by the Federal Government. We should have nothing to fear because I believe strongly that Nigeria will come out of it a better country that it is today.”
Aliyu added: “We should therefore embrace the National Conference and send in our first eleven team and avoid dealing with charlatans and people who cannot discuss the issues at stake and bring about the required peace and unity of this country.”
On the PDP crisis, Aliyu said the group of seven governors is only interested in entrenching true democratic values in the party and ensuring unity and peace in the country.
He said the PDP crisis was caused by the undemocratic attitude of leaders who placed their personal interests above the collective interest of the nation.
According to him: “Many people did not understand what transpired when seven of us said we want true democracy to prevail in the ruling party.
“Whatever happens in PDP will surely affect Nigeria because it is the ruling party and following the drift in the party, we, the concerned members, felt that we must make sacrifices in order to restore equity, justice and fair play in the polity.”
THE NATION