Dokubo-Asari has not hidden his disdain for any political arrangement that would return presidential power to the North in 2015, and al-Mustapha’s association with the ex-militant is seen by politicians in the region as a ploy to scuttle the North’s chance of wresting power from President Goodluck Jonathan in the next general election.
Apart from this perceived ‘unholy’ allicance, political watchers in the region view the recent defection of Alhaji Muhammed Abacha, the son of the former military ruler, to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as a move by the Jonathan camp to tackle some powerful politicians who are believed to control political power in Kano, especially the state governor, Dr. Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso.
But sensing the danger such move could pose to the interest of the North, a coalition of youths from the region, under the aegis of the Northern Youth Revival Movement (NYRM), on Friday threatened to disown al-Mustapha over the purported romance with Dokubo-Asari, saying it is capable of denying the North the chance to produce the president come 2015.
Saturday Tribune gathered that most politicians loyal to Jonathan are confused over the ongoing political crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and believe that both al-Mustapha and Abacha can use their present influence to tilt the scale in the president’s favour in the race to the presidency in 2015.
It was gathered further that while al-Mustapha is seen as a potent factor to checkmate most of the politicians in the North as well as a better tool to sell Jonathan’s candidature to the region, he is also being seen as a bridge builder to the people in South through his association with Dokubo-Asari.
Politicians in Jonathan’s camp are also convinced that Muhammed Abacha’s influence in Kano politics is not only capable of dividing the politicians in the state, but is also capable of rallying political support for Jonathan when he eventually secures the ticket of his party to contest the 2015 presidency.
Disturbed by this purported political permutation, some youths in the North addressed a press conference, during which they condemned the said alliance between al-Mustapha and Dokubo-Asari, saying “we hereby condemn the so-called Al-Mustapha –Dokubo Kaduna conference under the auspices of the National United Alliance, and call on the northern youth to dissociate themselves from any act that is unprogressive to the region (sic!).”
The youths made the call at a joint addressed by the Northern Coalition Movement, comprising the Northern Youth Interactive Forum (represented by its Strategy and Planning Officer, Alhaji Kabiru Bako); the Youth Coalition Movement (represented by Alhaji Haruna Sparrom) and the Northern Youth Revival Movement, represented by Comrade Ahmed Tahir.
Speaking on behalf of the coalition, Alhaji Kabiru Bako said it was an anomaly for al-Mustapha to still be referring to himself as a youth at the age of 54, saying he could no longer speak on behalf of youths. He then berated him for organising a rally in Owerri on behalf of northern youths.
Though the youths said they sympathised with the former CSO over his incarceration for over 14 years, they, however, warned him not to use his release (from prison) by Jonathan’s administration to hoodwink and mislead youths from the region.
They said, “We are using this medium to call on our northern youths to be patriotic to the region in order not to be manipulated ahead of the 2015 general election by Goodluck Jonathan using Major al-Mustapha.”
“As we will move to disown Major al-Mustapha, we also advise him to (face) his court litigation and be more prayerful this time, as he may not enjoy the prayer of the Northern people, now that they have known his true colour.”
Source: Tribune
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