PBNU Chairman Gus Yahya Reminds Again That There Should Be No Management Bringing NU Names In The Presidential Election

JAKARTA - Chairman of the Nahdlatul Ulama (PBNU) Executive Board KH Yahya Cholil Staquf forbade all parties to carry NU's name in the upcoming 2024 presidential election.

"In principle, whatever supporting action in the upcoming presidential election, it is not allowed to carry NU, let alone the management. For example, on behalf of NU I support this candidate, the candidate. It is not allowed," he said, quoted by ANTARA, Tuesday, October 31.

However, Yahya Cholil emphasized that PBNU does not prohibit its citizens from participating to provide support to one of the pairs of presidential candidates.

"We cannot hinder the right of individuals to participate, it is welcome. But it cannot be on behalf of NU," said Gus Yahya, as he is usually called.

Regarding Yenny Wahid's decision to express his support for the presidential candidate pair Ganjar Pranowo-Mahfud MD in the 2024 presidential election, Gus Yahya admitted that he did not yet know the position of Yenny Wahid's support for the couple.

"If the position is official, for example, as a successful team, there are rules. But if it's just personal, it's nothing, just as a people, we can't stop it," he said.

Currently, Yenny Wahid is an active administrator in the PBNU organization as Chair of the PBNU Strategic Innovation Development Agency 2022-2027.

Gus Yahya expressed his appreciation to President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) who invited three presidential candidates to eat at the palace.

"I really appreciate the initiative of the President (Jokowi) to do that. This is also to show the people that these are the elite leaders, so all of them should also have an awareness that whatever happens they will continue to work with each other," he said.

Therefore, Gus Yahya also invited the public to welcome the democratic party casually without fussing about differences in political choices.