A group, Northern Youth Leaders Forum (NYLF) comprising 47 groups has warned against alleged plans to postpone or cancel the 2023 general election in Nigeria. The group is also advocating for the formation of an Interim National Government (ING) to oversee the 2023 general election.
NYLF national president, Comrade Elliot Afiyo, stated this in a statement after a meeting with former military president, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida on Tuesday.
Afiyo said, “We have observed and truly too, the clandestine moves and actions by some political stakeholders to create a security crisis that will necessitate the shifting or cancellation of the presidential elections in February, 2023.
“We would like to unequivocally state that the NYLF is totally opposed to the shifting of the presidential election not to even talk of the cancellation.
“We want to warn all the stakeholders that are surreptitiously working towards this line of thought, that if such decision is ever taken, we will ensure that not a single APC candidate from top to the bottom, will be allowed to campaign in any part of the northern states and FCT,” the group warned.
According to the statement titled, “It is time for Buhari to resign,” NYLF said that it is a known fact that 2023 presidential election is the most important and decisive election which will determine and define the future of the country and as such, everything humanly possible including personal and collective sacrifices must be carried out and seen to be done.
“This is why the NYLF has been going round the country to consult and create awareness and also ensure that the voters, especially the rural north, are not brainwashed and divided into religious or ethnic inclinations.”
He explained that, “it is a known fact that this government has failed in everything. Therefore, if at all it can no longer guarantee the safety of its citizens and conducive environment for the peaceful conduct of the 2023 elections, we strongly advise that President Muhammadu Buhari should resign now and an Interim Government which will supervise the elections in 2023 be formed if truly he is eager to go as he said.
The 2023 election dates remain sacrosanct and must not be tempered with.”
