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Solomon Lar, the
first chairman of the People’s Democratic Party, on Wednesday, joined
the struggle for the political front of northern Nigeria and declared
the entire region was “solidly” behind the incumbent.

He said the talks
of an impending northern alliance against President Goodluck Jonathan
only exists in the imagination of its protagonists and has no relevance
within the northern electorate.

Mr Lar made these
claims while briefing reporters in Abuja. He alleged the Action
Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and Congress for Progressive Change (CPC)
have bandied about the idea of a northern consensus candidate amongst
them ahead of the Presidential election.

Opposition’s
tactics “I consider this defeatist attitude as a sign of surrender and
admitting that Nigerians have rejected their politics of ethnic and
religious bigotry,” Mr Lar said. “These same parties are behind the
often repeated insinuation that President Jonathan may not win the
presidential election on the first run and may be forced to a re-run.”
Ahead of the presidential elections, all the top contenders have
fruitlessly worked hard to get a united endorsement from the northern
region which is contributing three frontline contenders in the race.

The Northern
Elders’ Forum which had put up a failed support for a consensus
candidate at the PDP presidential primaries has since the January
primaries remained silent on further endorsements, even for the
incumbent who is a member of their party.

Mr Lar, a strong
supporter of the incumbent said the scenario that played out during the
primaries – where the incumbent won without the endorsement of the
northern elders – will be repeated at the April polls.

“I wish to state
unequivocally and to reassure Nigerians that all region including the
North are solidly behind President Jonathan and will massively vote for
him in April polls.

“For the avoidance
of doubt, we the founding fathers of our new democracy and leaders who
fought for the country’s independence will not allow our cherish unity
to be compromised for personal or selfish ends.

“I therefore, call
on Nigerians to disregard any resort to ethnic coordinates as an act of
political anachronism designed to halt our political progress and march
to the promised land,” Mr Lar added.