By Sani Idris
A Nothern group under the aegeis of Arewa Concerned Civil Society Organisations of Nigerian, have restated their reasons for presidential power shift to South in the 2023 elections.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that the group which is of Northern extraction is formed of over 45 civil societies all from the same region.
Addressing newsmen on Wednesday in Kaduna, Spokesperson of the group, Comrade Abdulsalam Kazeem, also said that they have resolved and vowed to mobilise their youths to campaign against any political party who fails to zone their presidential tickets to the South.
He noted that the call for Southern presidential candidate was aimed at sustaining the Nothern political friendship with people of Southern part of Nigeria.
According to him, equity and justice were the bane of development in any society.
“Since the first republic, power is being rotated between South and North, unfortunately, in 2007 when the power was shifted to North after two years God took the life of President Yar’adua, this has created a vaccum and resulted to so much agitations by Northern stakeholders that North must complete their 8-years term as President Obasanjo did.
“Since the constitution of Nigeria is supreme and has a way of succession and emergence of leadership, Jonathan as the Vice President was constitutionally sworn-in to be the President of Nigeria.
“In the heat towards the 2011 elections, many Northern stakeholders agitated that power must return to the North, but for national unity and Jonathan being a minority from oil-rich Niger-Delta region and never produce a president, our stakeholders in the North advised to allow him go for another four years term which will have completed the joint ticket for him and late President Yar’adua.
“In 2015, after realizing President Jonathan isn’t ready to relinquish power, Northerner stakeholders with the support of many progressive Southerners who believed in unity and fairness, Jonathan second bid was truncated, President Muhammadu Buhari elected and will complete his eight years tenure by 2023.
“What is good for the goose is good for the gander, for the sake of our national unity that we are standing today and declaring that power should be rotated to South for the spirit of oneness, equity, justice, fairness and equal opportunities,”Kazeem said.
He further noted that Nigeria, amalgamated in 1914 had an agreement that the country belongs to all irrespective of ethnicity, religion or region.
“In the spirit of building our desired nation and our continued existence as an entity, also not jettisoning the principles of power balance and fairness, we are calling for the total support of Presidency to the Southern part of the country.
“We have no other country than Nigeria and we will not seat down and see our country disintegrate due to selfish desires of some individuals that think presidency is the birth right of a particular region.
“The South West is also a beneficiary of the benevolence of Nigerians who supported their first bid for an eight years Presidency and Vice President for another eight years, they should also be willing to relinquish the position in the spirit togetherness and nation building.
“Our hope, dreams and prayers are for an Igbo man to emerge as President in 2023, more preferable a private sector player, technocrat and a de-tribalized Nigerian with rich experience in managing economy for peace, progress and prosperity.
“We have agreed to melt their interest in one port and insist on power to be transferred to Southern Part of the Country in 2023 and we call on our Southern people to drive this opportunity and support their own and also respect power rotation after eight years.
“We reaffirmed our previous stand that we won’t support any Northerner as successor of President Mohammed Buhari in 2023 for the sake of national unity.
“This will help to build trust and heal the wounds calling for the dismemberment of our dear country, we say no to any Northern candidate and should Incase any candidate show interest, he/she will never get our support, we shall frustrate such selfish ambition that we believe is even dead before arrival.
“We know power comes from God and he never allow injustice, greed and selfishness to rule our land. We will make or mar any candidate who has the unity of Nigeria at heart and vice versa.
“We have a voting capacity cut across all the polling units, wards and Local Government Areas in the 19 Northern states and the Federal Capital Territory, therefore urging all political parties to zone their presidential candidates to the south,” Kazeem said. (NAN)
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2023: Saraki reveals his 4 qualities that'll help him unite Nigerians
Saraki says his origin confers ethnic and religious neutrality on him.
Former President of the Senate, Dr Bukola Sarakisays he has four qualities that'll enable him to unite Nigerians, saying he can be the bridge between the northern and southern parts of Nigeria.
Saraki, who hails from Kwara State said his north-south ethnic identity should be seen as an advantage rather than a disadvantage in the Nigerian political space.
The former governor of Kwara State said this while addressing the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) House of Representatives Caucus in Abuja on the night of Tuesday, March 23, 2022, The Nation reports.
Saraki was reported to have told the lawmakers that he did not choose where he originated from, adding that his origin confers ethnic and religious neutrality on one hand and still unites him with the two tendencies.
“I believe today, not by my choice, nor by my making but by the bye-products of where I come from, a true reflection of the Nigerian, he said.
“I can be that bridge between the northern part of this country and the southern part of this country.
“I believe also that I can reach across the religious divide of Muslims and Christians. I also believe I can reach about the divide of the older and the younger generations of Nigerians.
“I can reach across the most important divide between the private sector and the public sector because of my background.
“You need all these four qualities to unite this country. And this is not just by pass but also by where I come from and how I have lived my life.”
Describing himself as a victim of injustice and persecution, the presidential aspirant promises to fight against injustice.
“For somebody who has been a victim of injustice and persecution for what he believes in, I will always fight against injustice.
“I am not fighting because I would like to, but because for being a victim, I have pledged that nobody goes through that,” he said.
In his remark, Ndudi Elumelu, Minority Leader said he and his colleagues had no doubts about Saraki’s leadership qualities and capabilities.
Elumelu assured Saraki that the Reps Caucus would take steps to strengthen unity and cohesion in the PDP.
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