The Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG) has denied claims that it bought the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential nomination and expression of interest forms for former President Goodluck Jonathan.
There were reports earlier that a Northern Group purchased the presidential forms for the former leader under the umbrella of the ruling party.
In a swift response, President Jonathan distanced himself from news that he had joined the APC and the 2023 presidential race.
However, in a statement on Monday by the spokesperson for the CNG, Abdul-Azeez Suleiman, said it was not the group that obtained the forms for the former leader.
Suleiman stated that the group has never been involved in partisan politics let alone pick a particular candidate and even purchase forms for Jonathan.
The CNG, however, urged new coalitions to devise a means of identification to differentiate them from the CNG.
The statement:
“The attention of the Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG) has been drawn to a piece of the deliberately confusing report that has been trending since early evening of Monday, May 9th.
“We are particularly worried that the report which purportedly suggests that CNG has purchased the presidential nomination forms for former President Goodluck Jonathan was broadcast by such reputable outlets as Channels Television.
“We are therefore compelled to make the following clarifications for the benefit of the media and the general public. We have since advanced from being addressed as an obscure Coalition and assumed the status of a proper name having made a mark as the strongest voice in Northern Nigeria.
“For a very long time, CNG has come to be properly addressed as ‘The Coalition of Northern Groups’ and no longer ‘A Coalition of Northern Groups’ as featured in the trending report. We are aware of the recent proliferation of coalitions across the North and in Nigeria as a whole (mostly out of mischief), but we make bold to say categorically that the Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG) has never since its inception been involved in partisanship not to mention picking a particular candidate and purchasing forms for him.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the CNG is still committed to the search for a competent, credible Nigerian leader with the capacity to justly and fairly take all of us through and out of our current limitations. We advise the newborn coalitions to device a means of identification quite apart from the CNG and appreciate the concerns of our followers and supporters who have been calling us for clarification.”
Related story:
‘I Wanted Jonathan’s Enemies to Finish Dancing’ – Former Aide Reno Omokri
Coalition of Northern Groups Denies Buying Nomination Forms for Jonathan