Leaders of the Niger Delta under the aegis of the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) have re-echoed the warning that any political party that fields a northern candidate will not enjoy the support of four regions – the South South, South West, South East and the Middle Belt – in the 2023 presidential election.
The Niger Delta leaders’ warning was in a reaction to the Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG’s) description of the chairman of the Southern Governors’ Forum and governor of Ondo State, Mr Rotimi Akeredolu, as a threat to democracy for warning against political parties fielding northern candidates for next year’s presidential election.
PANDEF described the remark of the CNG over the governor’s statement, which he made while hosting a delegation of the Power Rotation Movement in Akure, as irrational and delusional.
PANDEF, on Friday, through its National Publicity Secretary, Ken Robinson, said through their utterances, the CNG and their ilk had demonstrated that they were benefitting from the social malaise plaguing the nation.
The body said: “PANDEF wholly backs the statement of the governor and restates the resolution of the Southern and Middle Belt Leaders’ Forum at its meeting of January 13, 2022, that any political party that fields a northern candidate should not count on the support of the four regions in the 2023 presidential election.
“Why is it difficult for people to accept the truth? It is simply unthinkable that anyone would consider another northern presidency after President Muhammadu Buhari’s eight years.
“Organisations like the so-called Coalition of Northern Groups seem incorrigibly apathetic about the peace, unity and stability of Nigeria.
“They have, by their utterances, presented themselves as assemblages of unpatriotic individuals who perhaps benefit from the inglorious goings-on in the country.
“PANDEF urges these groups to strive to appreciate the true tenets of democracy and stop the hallucination.
“The North should not, and cannot, retain Nigeria’s presidency beyond 29th May, 2023 in the interest of national harmony.
“Defining the just and rightful demands for zoning and power rotation as threats and blackmail is a logical fallacy.
“Nobody is threatening or attempting to intimidate anyone; the South and other patriotic Nigerians who are concerned about the future of Nigeria are simply insisting that the fundamental principles of fairness, justice and equity must be respected and upheld in the power equation of Nigeria.
“Let us remind the said Coalition of Northern Groups and their sympathisers that the appropriation of rights by any section of the country must be measured against the rights of the others.
“Undoubtedly, no group or section of Nigeria can arrogate to itself or monopolise the presidency of Nigeria.”
We shouldn’t choose leaders based on ethnicity, religion –Bauchi emir
However, the Emir of Bauchi, Alhaji Rilwanu Suleiman Adamu, warned Nigerians against choosing leaders based on religion, ethnicity and other sentiments, saying such would not augur well for the survival of the nation. Adamu, who is the chairman of the Bauchi State Council of Traditional Rulers, gave the warning when members of The Nigeria Agenda (TNA) paid an advocacy visit to him in his palace in Bauchi.
The traditional ruler cautioned against allowing tribal or religious sentiment to influence the choice of leaders in the country, stressing that Nigerians should see themselves as one, irrespective of the country’s diversity.
The emir urged leaders, anywhere they find themselves, to be honest, sincere and just while carrying out their responsibilities because, according to him, those are the qualities needed for the country to develop.
He commended the efforts of the TNA team for advocating the unity of the country.
Adamu prayed for the success of the TNA and expressed his conviction that the mission of the agenda would change the narrative in the country positively.
Earlier, the TNA team leader, a former Commissioner for Information in Adamawa State, Alhaji Ahmed Sajoh, said that they were in the palace to seek royal blessings and intimate the emir on the mission of the TNA.
Sajoh said: “We want to advocate against division in the block of South South, North East, South West, North West as well as tribal and religious division, among others, in the country.
“We want to emphasise the need for unity, togetherness and agenda for Nigeria to be Nigeria as one entity.
“It is possible to avoid introducing tribal sentiments, religious factors and the north/south dichotomy as we pursue the common good of this nation.”
He explained that the TNA also advocates honest, just, fair and inspirational leaders with vision to keep the country together saying, “We must realise that what is of great importance is our unity and the progress of the country.”
The convener of the TNA then appealed to traditional and religious leaders to support the movement to succeed in its quest to ensure a united Nigeria.
