JONATHAN'S ENDORSEMENT POLARISES HAUSA LEADERS IN S/WEST

Hausa leaders in the South-West geopolitical zone, have been polarised following of the purported endorsement of President Goodluck Jonathan by the community, for the forthcoming general election.

The Sarkin Hausawa of Ebute-Meta, Lagos State, Alhaji Sani Kabiru, had reportedly announced the endorsement of President Jonathan as the choice candidate of the entire Hausa community in the South-West, during President Jonathan recent campaign tour to Lagos.

In a reaction in Ibadan, .on Thursday, the Sarkin Hausawa of Ibadanland, who doubles as the chairman of the Hausa community in Oyo State, Alhaji Ahmad Dahiru Zungeru, said that there was no forum where Hausa leaders in the South-West ,met to take any such decision.

Zungeru said: "As the Sarkin Hausawa of Ibadanland and Chairman of Sakin Hausawa of Oyo State, I hereby state categorically that the purported endorsement of President Jonathan for second term by some Hausa leaders in Lagos is without our knowledge.  It was not a reality.  We are not aware of it and we are not party to it.  

"We want to emphasise that we are unaware of the purported endorsement as being canvassed by the Sarkin Hausawa of Ebute-Meta as there was no time that we, Sarkin Hausa was in the South-West, sat together to take such a decision on behalf of our people.  Though this is not to say that we have any hatred whatsoever for Jonathan, the issue is that we are only leaders of our people; we are not politicians. We cannot compel anybody to vote for a particular candidate."