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| Southern Governors |
Presidential candidate of the National Conscience Party (NCP), in the 2019 presidential election, Dr Yunusa Tanko, has said while there are Northern politicians vying for presidency in the 2023 presidential election, majority of Northerners who have endured the failure of the current government, want a southern President in hope for a turn in fortune.
He said the pendulum is in favor of the South, but warned against acts of blackmail or threats against the North, saying doing such would amount to sabotaging their chances of producing the next President.
Governors from 17 states in the South under the Southern Governors Forum (SGF), had unanimously agreed on rotational presidency, saying there cannot be a united Nigeria without power rotation. They therefore demand that the region be allowed to produce the next president of the country come 2023 via zoning arrangement.
Yunusa however, though supports a southern president, said for the South to actualise their demand, they would have to their homework well, instead of resorting to threats and blackmail.
He said that while rotational presidency was not clearly stated in the constitution, it was in the interest of equity and fairness for the South to produce the president in 2023.
“The truth of the matter is that the Nigerian constitution doesn’t recognise zoning or rotation. But in the spirit of equity, and fair play, it is better we have a Southern President in 2023, as this will foster togetherness, and unity among Nigerians.
“But this can’t be done under duress. Even the majority of the people in the North have already agreed that the President should come from the South in 2023.
“It is now left for the South to go and do its homework on the issue. But having a President from the South in 2023 should not become a subject of threat, intimidation or blackmail. It is something that has to be negotiated through dialogue, and consensus,” he said.