Imo State Governor Hope Uzodinma yesterday said the Southeast should produce President Muhammadu Buhari’s successor.

He said the election of a Southeasterner as president in next year’s poll will foster unity, equity, fairness and justice.

But, he cautioned that the presidential candidates for the 2023 election will not run on the platforms of ethnic associations, but on the platforms of political parties.

Uzodinma told reporters in Lagos that it is desirable that the two main parties – All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) – should pick their candidates from the Southeast, reminiscent of what happened in1999 when the PDP and All Peoples Party/Alliance for Democracy picked Chief Olusegun Obasanjo and Chief Olu Falae from the Southwest.

Uzodinma said Nigeria is practicing “partisan democracy,” and not a national politics that is dominated by ethnic considerations when the choice of the candidate is the major issue.

He maintained that the battle for tickets and the general election will be fought within and among political parties, and not tribal organisations.

The governor emphasised that what is important is that every political party is focused on winning elections.

The governor spoke on insecurity in Imo, maintaining that the violence has political connotations.

He said the insecurity in the state was being fuelled by political opponents who have an axe to grind with his administration.

He thanked President Buhari for lending assistance to his administration to tackle the crises.

Uzodinma said it is not every time states should run to the Federal Government for solutions to local security matters.

He added: “States,as component units of the federation shoukd be able to deal with local security challenges, although the police, the army, Navy, airforce and other security agencies belong to the Federal Government. But, President Buhari is trying for us.

“The inter-agency cooperation in Imo ranks among the best. It should be emulated by other states. We want to prevent killings. No more compensation. It will not help. No compensation can equal the life of a person. Who benefits from the compensation? Not those killed. Therefore, we want to prevent killings. (The Nation)

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