An attempt by the North­ern Youth Leaders’ Fo­rum (NYLF) to select the most acceptable presidential aspirant for 2015 general elections suffered a set­back yesterday in Jalingo, Tara­ba State when ex-Vice-President Atiku Abubakar’s delegates failed to show up at the event’s venue.
The exercise meant for Northern leaders, is to pick the youths’ choice.The pan-northern youth group was on the verge of inaugurating the selection committee by its National Chairman, Comrade Elliot Afiyo, to pick the most acceptable presidential aspirant from the North for the purpose of mobilising support for him.
Among the northern presidential hopefuls, rumoured to have indicated interest in the race are Governor Sule Lamido of Jigawa State, All Progressives Congress (APC) National Leader, Major-General Muhammadu Buhari, Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso of Kano State, Speaker, House of Representatives, Alhaji Aminu Tambuwal and Atiku.
The youths’ flagbearer, irrespective of his political allegiance, will be supported by the over six million-member NYLF expected to mobilize support and slug it out with President Goodluck Jonathan, who is from the South-South.
However, when Afiyo came to Jalingo Motel to inaugurate the committee, the hall was filled to capacity as supporters of the various presidential aspirants were campaigning for their principals. He expected about 50 people ,including the yet-to-be inaugurated members of the committee.
Afiyo told Daily Sun that he had to postpone the event because those in the hall claimed to be representing General Buhari, Kwankwaso Lamido, Tambuwal, but the absence of Atiku’s delegates stalled the inauguration selection committee.
He said the forum has, however, decided to install the committee in Abuja next week, because its members are men and women of integrity.
Investigation revealed that some of the delegates were representatives of prominent emirs and chiefs from the three geographical zones in the North, former military and civilian governors, businessmen and women, who wanted to use the forum to garner support for their presidential aspirants.
Comrade Afiyo said the interests of those delegates were so pronounced that,using the platform of the forum could lead better chances for their candidates.

2015: Youths move to pick North’s consensus candidate