2023: We have not endorsed Wike, others – Northern Forum

A FRONTLINE political group in, Northern Youth Leaders Forum (NYLF) has denied endorsing Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, or any other candidate ahead of the 2023,were recommended and Wike was not part of them.

  This was contained in a statement signed by the NYLF President, Comrade Elliot Afiyo, and made available to the media.

  “We then wondered from where the BBC and VOA got their own report that included  Nyesom Wike among the recommended persons and was subsequently endorsed by the of the NYLF.

  Part of the statement read, “the attention of the Northern Youth Leaders Forum (NYLF) has been drawn to so many publications in print and electronic media both in National and International Media Organisations claiming that the NYLF has endorsed Senator Bala Mohammed, Chief Raymond Dokpesi or Senator Bola Tinubu as our preferred for 2023 presidential elections during our  meeting in Sokoto on the 10th of April.

  “Despite the fact that our Political Committee Chairman, Sadiq Abubakar, has held a press conference in to clarify the position of the NYLF, some media organisations went ahead to broadcast and print the erroneous report,” the statement said.

  The group explained that the meeting in Sokoto was purposely convened to receive the political committee’s report and fix a date for the delegates conference during which the delegates comprising all the chairmen and secretaries of the 42 affiliated youth organisations and all the zonal officers will vote.

  “The candidate to be endorsed must get 2/3 of the total votes.

“During our  meeting in Gombe on the 14th of February, the NEC shortlisted 13 politicians and directed the political committee to carry out thorough research or check on them and put forward their recommendations to the NEC.

  “From the report presented to us, only Bala Mohammed, Raymond Dokpesi and Bola Tinunbu were recommended for consideration by the NEC,” it added.

  “We are not unaware of the scheming by some groups but we have resolved and unequivocal too, to avoid the mistake of past.”