Northern groups under the auspices of Arewa Consensus Assembly has said the next president should come from the South Western part of the country.
According to the group, without the support of the South West, a Northern wouldn’t be the president in 2015.
In a communique issued at the end of the one day conference held at Arewa House on Wednesday and read by the convener of the conference, Daniel Shawulu said at the end of a joint conference on northern political participation and power shift with the theme “Northern Agenda: Our Real Solution” supported that power should shift to the South West.
It also cautioned against fielding Muslim-Muslim candidates as President and Vice President for the 2023 general elections.
Instead, the group recommended that we should have a Christian president from the South West and a vice president from the North.
It is abhorrent unacceptable and roundly rejected by Nigerians that a presidential and vice-presidential ticket will be dominated by candidates of the same faith, such as Muslim/Muslim. Under no circumstances should any aspiring or hopeful political party or candidacy be a consideration in the current national state of Nigeria.
“The Joint Conference after considering religious demographics of Nigeria, sentiments, views and opinions across the country concludes and recommends that a more probable electorally ticket will be a Christian Southwestern candidate matched with a Muslim vice from the North”.
The communique stated that the Nigerians have been suffering from the inconsistency of implementation of policies and programmes amidst present socio-economic and political circumstance, policies inaugurated by this present administration it requires a leader with requisite insight to consolidate the much-desired results, and continuity of the structural programs commenced by this administration.
The communique jointly signed by Daniel Shawulu (Arewa Consensus Assembly), Suleman Makama (National Partnership campaign project) and Khalid Mohammed (Joint Participation for Development Initiatives) said “although the Joint Conference made its above deliberations, considerations and resolutions in the broader interest of the North, and not partisan or specific candidacy.
However, the Joint Conference notes that Vice President, Professor Yemi Osibanjo SAN fits and addresses the questions of balance, qualities and attributes expressed and resolved by the Joint Conference”.
The group also said, the true desire of the North is a better Nigeria for all where there is hope and fulfilment and that the North recognizes that there is an urgent responsibility to build and foster confidence between the different ethnicities and geo-political zones of Nigeria.
“The unfortunate perception that the “North” is determined to hold on to power including by attempting to foist retention of the presidency in the North is causing division and mistrust for northerners by other ethnicities in Nigeria.
“This erosion of confidence, trust and brotherhood between fellow citizens in the South against the North is not the creation or intendment of either the core or the majority of northerners.
“The Conference recognized the urgent need to ensure the North’s credibility and influence by respecting equality, equity, fairness and partnership.
“As such, all things considered, and for both the short and long term interests and benefit of the North, the Joint Conference resolved and hereby declares that it is appropriate, invariable and inescapable that the choice of the presidency in the 2023 elections must emerge from the South-West region of Nigeria.
“The consequences of the North’s failure to accede and participate in ensuring and supporting rotation of power to the South-West will be dire for the short and long term political and developmental interests and relevance of the North.
“Failure to urgently and actively support and participate in this objective may divide the North irreparably, and potentially severe the political alignment within the North, especially with the North Central states.
“Such a division or misalignment will damage the North’s politically, and potentially erode the influence of the North in presidential, and National Assembly leadership electoral selection processes” the group’s stressed.
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