South, Middle Belt insist on Southern presidency in 2023
The Southern and Middle Belt Forum, comprising of Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere; the South-East socio-political group, Ohanaeze Ndigbo; and the Middle Belt Forum, has urged all political parties in Nigeria to zone their presidential ticket to the South ahead of the 2023 presidential election.
The group said the South and the Middle Belt would not vote for a Northern presidential candidate in 2023.
The demand was made in a communiqué issued at the end of a meeting of the leadership of the groups in Abuja on Thursday.
The communiqué was signed by elder statesmen, Chief Edwin Clark, Chief Ayo Adebanjo (leader of Afenifere), Prof. George Obiozor (President-General, Ohanaeze Ndigbo) and Dr Pogu Bitrus (National President, Middle Belt Forum).
The national chairman of Pan Niger Delta Forum, Senator Emmanuel Essien and some former governors and ministers attended the meeting, where they resolved that the extant constitution and structure of Nigeria are lopsided, and they called for a fundamental restructuring of the country by enacting a new constitution that would enthrone equity, fairness and justice.
The communiqué further read, “The northern part of the country would have fully enjoyed the office of the Presidency of the country for the full statutory period of eight years by 2023, hence, the Presidency should rotate to the South.
“Therefore, we unequivocally, and in full resolve, call on all political parties in the country to zone their presidential tickets to the South and advise that any political party that does not zone its presidential ticket to the South should not expect support from the four regions.”
The group noted that the basis of any viable democracy, especially in a diverse and complex country such as Nigeria, is fair and even sharing of power.
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