Over ten thousand protesters on Wednesday took over the national headquarters of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the major opposition party, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) over alleged plans by both political parties to zone their presidential tickets to the North.

Speaking on behalf of the protesters yesterday in Abuja, the convener of Concerned Nigerian Citizens for Power Shift to the South, Femi Osabinu, told the leadership of both parties that southern Nigeria must be allowed to occupy the position of President in the country come 2023.

According to Osabinu, any consideration outside a southern presidency may destabilise the polity.

Osabinu, who said the rotation of power in Nigeria, goes beyond the mere aspiration of political parties, explained that the arrangement is also a tool, for ensuring national unity and stability, insisting that candidates from southern Nigeria, must be allowed to occupy the position of President in the country come for equity sake.

“We are seriously concerned as patriotic Nigerians, that just few days to the Presidential primaries of your party, the party is yet to intimate Nigerians, about its decision, in respect of where it is zoning the Presidential ticket to.

“Recall, that the rotation of power in Nigeria, goes beyond mere aspiration of political parties, but also a tool, towards ensuring national unity and stability, and in this regard, candidates from the southern Nigeria, must be allowed to occupy the position of President in the country come 2023.

“We also wish to remind you, that the established convention is that power must rotate between the North and the South. Hence a President of northern extraction follows that of Southern extraction and vice versa. Any consideration outside of this is foul and may destabilize the polity.

“It is only fair, that after President Muhammadu Buhari, power must come to the south. Any argument against this is inimical to the unity and stability of our nation.

“It is equitable that once the above stands and power is conceded to the south, we will not only be respecting this established convention of power rotation, but we will also be contributing to the dire need, to restore stability and national cohesion, back into our polity.

“It is the turn of the Southern part of the country to produce the next President, and we believe that your party, should have no difficulty in coming out with a categorical declaration, on this very important issue, in the next few days. This must be done without delay.

“The principle of Federal Character is enshrined in the 1999 Constitution, as amended. Remember, there won’t be APC if there is no country called Nigeria. Let us put Nigeria first in our resolutions.

“While wishing you the best as we move towards the general election, we wish to restate that nothing other than the rotation of power to the South, shall be acceptable to us, and our people,” he said.

(The Guardian)

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