The sudden demand by some individuals and groups in the North-central for the presidential tickets of the leading political parties in the country, especially the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the leading opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), is waxing stronger by the day. Many analysts are saying it is no longer politically savvy for anybody to ignore the agitation, which started like a child’s play a few months back.

Expectedly, the demands have elicited divergent opinions across the country, especially among the political elites. In addition, the ensuing debate over the agitation appears to be enriching the discourse about how President Muhammadu Buhari’s successor should emerge in 2023.

Coming at a time when the quest for the presidency to shift to the south in 2023 is very strong. The North-central’s sudden clamour is expectedly shaking a lot of tables.

There is a very strong call by leaders of the Southeast for an Igbo presidency. Also, the Yorubas of the Southwest are vociferous in their agitation to be allowed to produce the next president of the country. Analysts believe the quests by the two geo-political zones are based on the assumed rotation principle which dictates that the next president of the country, after Buhari, should emerge from the southern part of the country.

But proponents of the North-central for president agenda disagree that the zone is automatically exempted from the race by any zoning arrangement. Arguing that the issue of rotation is to ensure fairness and equity, it should take into cognizance the fact that the North-central is yet to produce a president or even a vice president of the country in any democratic era. The numerous roles played by the zone to stabilise the country at critical periods are also being used as a bargaining tool.

“The North-central zone has paid its dues and played the role of stabiliser at a critical period in the nation such that now that it has leading presidential aspirants with the clout and vision to provide better governance, the other zones should support the aspirants. Rotation is equally a plus for our agitation. It is not true that the North-central is exempted by any zoning arrangement,” a source said.

As part of the many reasons being canvassed for the need for the zone to produce the next president, leaders of the North- central claim the zone has suffered untold marginalisation over the years. According to the Secretary-General of the newly formed North Central Peoples Forum (NCPF), Khaleel Bolaji, “There is no disputing the fact that the North-central geopolitical zone is part of the North, but the North is not one.

“We are one in terms of understanding one another. But when it comes to sharing the benefits, you will discover that there are disparities. For instance, nobody can be Minister of Niger Delta except he is from that region. Abuja is in the North-central but over the years, the majority of the ministers from the Federal Capital Territory have been outside of the North-central zone. This is part of what we are talking about.

“I can say that 80 percent of solid mineral resources are from this zone. Niger and Benue are from here. Indeed, this is the zone that is holding Nigeria. We are the food basket of the country. These are the things we want Nigerians to know. So the clamour for the zone to produce the next president is right. I am in support of the agitation and the entire north-central is united in our determination to take the chance to produce the next president.”

Growing agitations

Last December, members of the Kogi State House of Assembly called on political leaders in the North-central region to come all out and lay claim to the zoning of the presidency in 2023 to the zone. The lawmakers made the appeal in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, during what they described as an advocacy visit to Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq. The lawmakers said they have resolved to speak up on the matter in the interest of the zone.

Speaker of the Kogi State Assembly, Matthew Kolawole, said the zone had not benefited from power-sharing in the country under the current dispensation. “North-central has not really benefited from the power sharing of this country under democratic setting, particularly president and vice president. We are lobbying Your Excellency that when it is time to talk about zoning arrangements, let the presidency be zoned to the North-central,” he said.

Responding, Governor AbdulRazaq also called for better political representation of the zone at the federal level. The governor said the North-central region, with its huge human and material resources, has never produced the president or vice president since independence. He urged the lawmakers to pursue their argument peacefully and tactically as the North- central zone will need the support of other zones to actualise the dream.

Early in the New Year, the NCPF added its voice to the growing agitation when it urged other geo-political zones in the country to concede the presidency to the North-central in 2023. The group said the zone was yet to have a shot at the presidency under a democratic setting. Its Secretary General, Khaleel Bolaji, said: “I am not mincing words. The North-central has over the years been marginalised.

“All the remaining five zones in the country have produced the president of the country while the North-central is yet to have a shot at it under a democratic setting. Name them: Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe of Southeast, Goodluck Jonathan of South-south, Olusegun Obasanjo of Southwest. Of course, the Northwest has had a shot at it up to four times, and Abubakar Tafawa Balewa was from the Northeast.

“Our votes in the North-central are more than the Southwest votes. But because the Southwest has the press to make the noise, it always gets its ways. If politics is about numbers, then we should be placed properly.”

National Chairman of the Action Democratic Party (ADP), Yabagi Yusuf Sani – Sani, is of the view that the region is well qualified to produce Nigeria’s president after Buhari leaves power in 2023. “It’s only the North-central that has not been given the opportunity to produce a civilian head of government. And people say we have produced military heads of state. That was out of personal adventures. Nobody was consulted here before they took power.

“Now, we are talking of merit; people that have skills, track record, and experience to give this country the leadership that it deserves. Unfortunately, it’s not about what you can offer, but where you come from. If at all zoning is about equity and fairness and giving every Nigerian a sense of belonging, then I think this time around it is the turn of the North-central; not any other zone. I can show you a map here. You can see each zone has had a civilian representation.

“The only zone that is yet to produce a president or vice president is the North-central. So, if zoning in a civilian arrangement is about equity and fairness, the North-central should have it this time,” he argued.

Traditional rulers from the zone have not been silent on the quest of their political elites to rule the country come 2023. If anything, it appears they are part of the struggle. The Chairman, Olamaboro Local Government Traditional Council, Kogi State, and the Ejeh of Olamaboro, Enek’ojokpuche, Ujah Sani Simeon, said the North-central region should be supported to produce Nigeria’s next President in 2023. He made the call during a courtesy visit to the Gbong Gwom Jos and Chairman Joint Traditional Council of Chiefs and Emirs, Plateau State, Da. Jacob Gyang Buba in his Palace in Jos.

“There is nothing wrong for the entire country to support the North-central zone to produce the President of Nigeria in 2023. The North-west has done it, the Northeast has produced Vice President, the Southwest has governed Nigeria and currently has the Vice President and the South-south has been Vice President and later President, only the North-central has not been President or Vice President, therefore, they deserve the support of other zones to produce the kind of President Nigerians wants.”

Simeon said although the Southeast appears to have been suffering the same fate with the North-central and advised them to shelve their ambition and support the zone for a payback. Supporting the agitation, the Gbong Gwom Jos and Chairman Joint Traditional Council of Chiefs and Emirs and President, Plateau State Traditional Council, Da. Jacob Gyang Buba, said Nigeria Constitution does not place any restriction on any geo-political zone from contesting the presidency.

He advised that the ambition should be pursued in a peaceful and polite manner that other Nigerians will see the need to key in despite the fact that they also have the constitutional backing to seek for the position. Da. Buba said he is solidly behind the restructuring of the country in a context of adding more resources to the State and the local government areas where the majority of Nigerians reside.

LIKELY ASPIRANTS

The recent return of the former Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, to his home state for the first time after his 2019 political defeat and the current moves in Kwara State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to reposition the party ahead of the 2023 elections have joined to give fillip to tales that the former governor may be contesting the 2023 presidential election on the platform of the opposition party.

Recent roles of the former Senate President in the clamour for a president of North-central extraction are also fueling rumours of his 2023 presidential aspiration. Last November, Saraki met with leaders of the zone to discuss the next general election among other issues. After the meeting, the former governor said the zone will determine the future of Nigeria. Saraki said the North-central region is part of Nigeria and deserves every consideration in 2023.

“North-central is part of Nigeria. North-central has the right, like every other part of Nigeria. I believe your question is answered,” he said. Sources close to the former Senate President, while debunking claims he has plans to dump the PDP and seek the presidential ticket of another party, said Saraki will be seeking the presidential ticket of the PDP in 2023 in his quest to rule the country as a democratically elected president.

Also from the North-central, tongues are wagging about underground moves by Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State to corner the presidential ticket of the ruling APC as he plans to succeed President Buhari in 2023. The two term governor’s alleged ambition is already causing ripples in his party as pro-zoning agitators have been knocking his aspiration. But he is alleged to be one of the main sponsors of the clamour for the North-central to produce the next president.

Recently, the Kogi State Commissioner for Information and Communication, Kingsley Fanwo, said there is a deafening call for Bello, to run for President in the 2023 election. Fanwo said this while displaying a campaign poster for Yahaya Bello on Twitter. In the campaign poster shared, Nigerians are being convinced to see Bello as a presidential material for 2023 capable of replacing President Muhammadu Buhari.

Soon after, lawmakers of the Kogi State House of Assembly in a motion moved on behalf of all the members by the Majority Leader of the House, Hassan Abdullahi, publicly called on Bello to contest the 2023 presidential election. They predicated their call on “sterling performance” of the governor since he assumed office in 2016. According to the Assembly members, the governor has proven capability and capacity to lead the nation.

But Bello is still saying he doesn’t want to be distracted by calls for him to run in the 2023 presidential election. Speaking recently through his Chief Press Secretary, Nnogwu Sani Mohammed, he said he is focused on delivering the mandate of rebuilding Kogi State. “His administration’s ability to curb insecurity in Kogi State and massive youth empowerment have been attracting support leading to the calls for him to contest for presidency but he does not want to be distracted with such calls,” Mohammed said.

The candidate of the Action Democratic Party (ADP) in the last presidential election, Engr Yabagi Yusuf Sani, is another possible aspirant from the zone. The Bida, Niger state born politician is believed to be oiling his political machinery ahead of 2023. Sources close to him said he is of the assurance that candidates from the North-central will receive the blessing of many Nigerians in the next presidential election.

Although Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue insists he is not nursing any presidential ambition, ahead of the 2023 general elections, his name continues to feature prominently on the list of possible aspirants from the North-central zone. Among many others, a group under the aegis of ‘Project Ortomise Nigeria Ortomatically 2023’ has recently, publicly pleaded with the Benue governor to join the 2023 presidential race.

In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary (CPS), Terver Akase, Ortom appreciated his supporters and groups across the country. “I particularly appreciated the Benue people for supporting my administration to succeed. I sincerely appreciate my supporters and interest groups who have taken to social media to call on me to join the 2023 presidential race. However, I wish to state that my preoccupation at the moment is delivering good governance to the people of Benue,” the statement read in part. (The Nation)

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