The former Chief Judge of Anambra State and presidential aspirant on the platform of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Professor Peter Nnana Umeadi has said that the insistence of the North political zone to produce the next president of Nigeria against the agitation of the South for a power shift is akin to secession.

Umeadi spoke in his country home at Nri in Anaocha local council area yesterday when executive members of Odimma Anambra Forum/ Foundation paid him a solidarity visit.

According to him, insisting on producing the next president is and calling for secession are the same because that is not what Nigeria needs at the moment.

He said: “There is news that the North is ready for restructuring of Nigeria but it would not succumb to any blackmail to rotate the presidency with the South.

“I think that such a statement, if verified, is akin to the flip side of those clamouring to secede from Nigeria. Both sides are not what Nigeria needs at this point in time. Rather, this is the time to put into practice the concept of one United Nigeria.”

Although he blamed former President Goodluck Jonathan for creating part of the problem by contesting for the Presidency following the death of President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua and thus preventing the North from completing its eight years in office, Umeadi urged the North to consider other gains it made at the expense of the rest of Nigeria, especially in the area of quota system.

He said the Constitution of Nigeria clearly stipulates for geographical spread in positions, amenities and appointments and the North has hugely benefited from those formulae.

Umeadi said though the North believes it has “the vote to win the presidential elections and control political power at the centre in Nigeria in perpetuity”, three things must be put into consideration, namely: need for free and fair elections to allow citizens vote according to their conscience; the need for inclusion and not exclusion, and noteworthy is that winner take all mentality is recipe for trouble. (Saturday Independent)

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