•••URGES NIGERIANS TO REJECT NORTHERN PRESIDENTIAL ASPIRANTS IN PDP
… LAMBASTS ATIKU, TAMBUWAL OVER ZONING
The Southern and Middle Belt Leaders’ Forum, comprising Afenifere, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Middle Belt Forum and Pan Niger Delta Forum, PANDEF, has described the 2023 as a decisive political year for the country
SMBLF emphasized a fair power sharing process as a requisite for democracy to thrive in the country.
The group urged all patriotic Nigerians to shun overambition and arrangements that would exacerbate the crisis in the country.
The group warned politicians to shun any decision that would engender national cohesion and concord.
The group cautioned the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to be mindful of its actions in order not to violate established protocols and truncate the nation’s democracy.
The group in a statement, its leaders Chairman, Chief E. K. Clark, (PANDEF), Chief Ayo Adebanjo, (Afenifere) Prof. George Obiozor, (Ohanaeze Worldwide) and Dr. Pogu Bitrus, (Middle Belt Forum)said the stance of the Northern leaders in PDP against zoning smacks of desperation and arrogance.
“We further restate our recent call on all lovers of peace and equity in Nigeria, particularly our people of Southern Nigeria the and Middle Belt region to reject any political party that fails to zone presidential ticket to the South.
“The PDP needs to be mindful of its actions in order not to infringe on established protocols and truncate the nation’s democracy”, the SMBLF said.
SMBLF said the meeting of Southern governors, was a reaffirmation of the earlier declaration of the Southern Governors in Asaba, Delta State, in May 2021, and described it as a call for nationaI interest.
They commended Peoples Democratic Party Governors from the South for their position on zoning and further praised the leaders of SouthSouth, South East and South West as well as their National Assembly members and other key stakeholders in the PDP, for rising against those who refused to zone presidency to the South.
The group appreciated their commitment to the quest for fairness, equity and justice in the power equation of the country.
“The Governors called for the zoning of the presidency of the country to the South by the PDP leaders at their recent meetings in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State and Ibadan, Oyo State, respectively, is a reassuring demonstration of the unanimity and resolve that the next President of Nigeria should come from the South, in the national interest.
“It must be noted that zoning had been practiced in the Nation’s polity since independence and remains sacrosanct. When Alhaji Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, in 1960, was the Prime Minister of Nigeria, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe was Governor-General.
“The zoning of political offices, particularly the presidency of the country is the best panacea for peace, unity and progress of the country”. The statement reads.
The statement described the position of Northern politicians, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State, as most disappointing.
The statement added that Atiku’s comments while addressing some PDP leaders are symptomatic of desperation and arrogance.
The group said Atiku’s supposition that the APC has a moral obligation to zone the presidency but that the PDP does not, is self-serving and illogical.
According to them, “the PDP has a National Chairman who is from the North, in the person of Senator Iyorchia Ayu, from Benue State; the opinion that Senator Ayu would relinquish his position for somebody from the south if someone from the North emerges as the party’s Presidential candidate is preposterous. Ayu was elected at the party’s convention with the expected consideration that the presidency would go the South”.
The statement equally said the PDP as a political party had always adhered to the principle of zoning since its formation, adding that in 1998, the PDP zoned its presidential ticket to the South while the Chairmanship was zoned to the North, stressing that such made Chief Solomon Lar, from Plateau State, to became the pioneer National Chairman of the party.
“The APC has also been religiously following the zoning or rotation system between the north and the south. In 2014, the All Progressives Congress, APC, zoned its presidential ticket to the North and the Chairmanship of the party to the South. Chief Bisi Akande emerged as the party’s first interim National Chairman.”
“Subsequently, all those who contested for the party’s presidential ticket were from the North, including President Muhammadu Buhari, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, Alhaji Rabiu Kwankwaso and late Sam Nda-Isaiah, except Senator Owelle Rochas Okorocha who has been a habitual presidential aspirant since 2003. Buhari won the primaries, Kwankwaso was second and Alhaji Atiku Abubakar came third.
“In 2011, this same Atiku, was one of the leaders from the North who canvassed that Goodluck Jonathan should not contest the presidential election in 2011 that the position was zoned to the North. Atiku went on to contest the PDP presidential primaries with Jonathan and he lost.
“So, there has been no time that Atiku has ever gone against zoning except now because it does not suit his purpose. If he has forgotten that there is zoning in PDP, we can forgive him, because he has been changing his party at all times, wanting to be president of Nigeria.” The group stated.
The group disclosed that it is vital for people to Know that in 2018, only Northern candidates, including Jonah Jang, David Mark, Atiku Abubakar, Kabiru Turaki, Sule Lamido, Attahiru Bafarawa, Ahmed Makarfi, Ibrahim Dankwambo, Rabiu Kwankwaso, Bukola Saraki, Aminu Tambuwal and Datti Baba Ahmed, contested the presidential primaries of the People’s Democratic Party that was held in Port Harcourt.
“Why was there no southerner involved in the contest, if not because it was zoned to the north? Was it a coincidence or by hook or by crook?” The statement queried.