2019: Northern youths endorse former FCT Minister for president

A coalition of northern youths, under the aegis of Northern Youth Leaders Forum (NYLF), has endorsed former Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Senator Bala Mohammed as the president in 2019 election.
Rising from its meeting in Kaduna, where the current political and religious issues threatening the basic foundation of the country were discussed, NYLF, an umbrella body of 42 affiliate associations from the 19 northern states, said it arrived at the choice of Bala given his detribalised posture, general goodwill across the nation and unquestionable loyalty to northern interests within the larger Nigerian entity.
Other issues deliberated on at the meeting include the political crisis ignited by the quit order issued to the Igbo to leave the North by October 1.
National Chairman of NYLF, Comrade Elliot Afiyo, who spoke after the meeting, said Senator Bala was selected among other 14 candidates, who were later shortlisted to two, the former minister and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, before the later emerged through a straw vote.
Others considered alongside the duo were Senate President Senator Bukola Saraki; former Jigawa State governor, Alhaji Sule Lamido; Kaduna State governor, Nasir el-Rufai and former Special adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan, Alhaji Tanimu Turaki (SAN).
Others were former Kano State governor, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, Gombe State governor, Ibrahim Dankwambo, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, Governors Ibrahim Shettima (Borno),Abdulaziz Yari (Zamfara) and Aminu Tambuwwal (Sokoto).