Group dismisses Northern elders’ anti-Jonathan comments

A group, the Northern Alternative Forum, has called on Nigerians to disregard a statement credited to the Northern Elders Forum asking President Goodluck Jonathan not to declare interest in 2015 elections if he failed to rescue the abducted Chibok girls by October.
The forum’s Chairman, Alhaji Gidado Ibrahim, made its position known in an interview with our correspondent in Abuja on Thursday.
Ibrahim said the Northern elders got it wrong because Jonathan enjoys about 75 per cent support in the region.
He said contrary to the claim of the elders, Northerners would not vote in 2015 based on sentiment or ethnic consideration but based on the performance of the present administration.
He said the region would continue to support Jonathan based on the benefits of his transformation agenda.
Ibrahim dissociated the NAF from the statement credited to the Northern elders.
He said, “We posted for President Goodluck Jonathan in 2011 based on credibility and we will continue to support him.
“We are not part of that statement credited to the Northern elders. They did not vote for Jonathan in 2011 and he won.
“We are solidly behind the President and our forum has since endorsed him for second term.
“The President has 75 per cent support in the North. We will not vote based on sentiment or ethnic consideration.
“When the people of the North supports him in 2015, people of other regions will also support us when our time comes.”