Nigerian presidential candidates - The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) yesterday advised elder statesman and leader of the Northern Political Leaders Forum (NPLF) Mallam Adamu Ciroma to quickly review his current position and avail his wise counsel to the Jonathan/Sambo ticket which is the choice of his party, PDP.

The PCC's Director of Media and Publicity Mallam Abba Dabo was reacting against the backdrop of Tuesday's NPLF communiqué signed by Mallam Ciroma where the Forum restated its position on the principle of zoning and rotation of public offices which it said all Nigeria's leading political parties, except the PDP, have so far upheld.

The PDP PCC said it was at a loss as to conceptualise what Mallam Ciroma, whose pre-eminent role in the formation and nurturing of the PDP could still be remembered, is hoping to achieve 'by openly calling for the destruction of a house he laboured so hard to build' with his call for a gang-up of opposition parties against the PDP in the forthcoming presidential elections.

The party added that with his widely acclaimed contributions to national development over the decades, it found it 'strange that Mallam Ciroma, a well respected Statesman will associate himself with causes that are at variance with national interest'.

Part of the statement signed by Dabo reads: "We are indeed at a loss as to what he hopes to achieve by openly calling for the destruction of a house he laboured so hard to build. As a true democrat, we expect Mallam Ciroma to submit to the will of the majority as freely expressed at the last National Convention which has been globally acclaimed for its transparency.

"To continue holding tenaciously to divisive positions at a time the entire Party and the nation are embarking on a process of healing and reconciliation does not tell well of Mallam Ciroma's hard earned reputation."

Muideen Olaniyi

Daily Trust/17/02/2011